Alabama Crimson Tide fans, add my name to a long list of those who doubted Kane Wommack. For much of this season, my opinion was Wommack's bend, don't break defense was Alabama's weakest link. Instead of that assessment a more accurate claim is that Wommack's defense is carrying Alabama to wins while the Tide's offense stumbles.
There is statistical evidence to support the improvement in Kane Wommack's defense. In Scoring Defense calculated from SEC vs. SEC games, the Alabama Crimson Tide leads the SEC at 18.3 points per game. The Texas A&M Aggies are No. 2 at 20 points, and Oklahoma is No. 3 at 21.6 points. Against FBS teams with winning records, Alabama is No. 9 nationally at 17.6 points per game. In the SEC, only Texas is better, allowing 17 points.
Diving deeper sheds more positive light on Alabama's emerging defensive excellence. Using Brian Fremeau's algorithm for Offensive Efficiency, OFEI (not updated yet for Week 11 games), the Crimson Tide has played and beaten three top 16 OFEI teams. They are the Georgia Bulldogs at No. 1, Vanderbilt at No. 5, and Tennessee at No. 16. Fremeau's numbers are opponent-adjusted. Fremeau's Defensive Efficiency rankings have the Crimson Tide as college football's ninth-best defense, and third-best among SEC teams, behind Oklahoma and Auburn.
Some Alabama Crimson Tide fans remain skeptical about Wommack. Perhaps they are right if the requirement is a championship-level defense. A statistically strong Alabama defense might falter against Ohio State, Indiana, Oregon, or the improved Georgia offense. Texas Tech can be pointed to as having a better defense than Alabama. It should be. Unlike the Red Raiders, Alabama is not paying a defensive lineman $3M+ for this season.
Another impressive defensive stat for the Crimson Tide is being tied at No. 1 with six turnovers against AP-ranked teams. Alabama and Mississippi State have six. South Carolina has six as well, but with an additional game.
What the Alabama Crimson Tide Defense Needs
Kane Wommack's defense is not perfect, but no defense is. The days of old Nick Saban defenses suffocating offenses are over, likely to never return. What Kane Wommack's defense most needs now, is an Alabama offense that gives it more breathing room. In five October and November games, the Alabama offense is averaging 25.4 points per game.