During A-Day, so much attention will be focused on the Alabama football offense, too little notice may be given to the other side of the ball. Kane Wommack's defense will have one of college football's best defensive backfields. The Crimson Tide's interior defensive line and edge rushers are expected to be a strength. In those areas, Alabama's defense can be better than last season.
One defensive position group is unproven. Wommack prefers to rotate three inside linebackers with situational purpose. In the coming season, Virginia Tech transfer Caleb Woodson is expected to be the 'Green Dot' guy among any trio. Woodson has impressed this spring. For the Hokies, Woodson was a converted safety after his freshman season.
Kane Wommack and an Alabama Football Defensive Leader
Woodson is Alabama's most experienced inside linebacker, but his three-season career includes only 17 starts. His ability in pass coverage stood out in Blacksburg, but Hokie fans criticized his ability to get off blockers, reducing his effectiveness as a run stopper. At 238 lbs., Woodson is 38 pounds heavier than when he began his Virginia Tech career. Alabama football insiders believe that his current weight remedies any past run-stopping problems and that the added bulk has not diminished his pass coverage skills. Kane Wommack and Alabama need Woodson to lead the position group.
The other pair to run alongside Wommack in the inside linebacker trio is far from determined. Their play will be almost as important as Woodson's. They will also have to be able to assume the 'Green Dot' communicator-leader role when needed. The candidates are redshirt sophomore QB Reese, sophomore Luke Metz, junior Cayden Jones, sophomore Abduall Sanders Jr., and sophomore Duke Johnson.
Reese and Metz have garnered the most attention so far this spring. Both have the potential to become impact players. Sanders Jr. gained strong reviews last spring and, somewhat surprisingly, got the second-most first unit snaps (after Woodson) during the Crimson Tide's second spring scrimmage. After two injury-hampered seasons, a healthy Cayden Jones cannot be counted out, nor can Duke Johnson.
The A-Day game will not answer all inside linebacker questions. Competition to join Woodson in Kane Wommack's top trio will continue at least through fall camp scrimmages.