Kane Wommack provides promising injury update on key Alabama defensive lineman

The Alabama defense returns eight starters from last season. That level of continuity has created high expectations for Kane Wommack’s unit in his second year on the job, but a big injury question mark has been looming over one of his new projected starters ahead of the Crimson Tide’s Week 1 matchup with Florida State in Tallahassee. 

James Smith has missed both of Alabama’s fall camp scrimmages with a minor injury that has been threatening his status for Week 1. Kalen DeBoer provided some clarity on Saturday, saying, “Feel good about the progress he’s had in the week of practice with it being live. Needed to hold back there, but he’s getting closer by the day."

Then, on Wednesday, Wommack shared an even more promising outlook. “Yeah, James is doing a really nice job, was dinged up there for a couple days and has come back nicely, has hit all the markers he needed to hit.” 

Kane Wommack praises James Smith as he returns to health at fall camp

After updating his injury situation, Wommack shared his thoughts on the 6-foot-3, 296-pound junior defensive lineman who is set to replace Tim Smith as the starting defensive tackle next to Tim Keenan III. 

Wommack called Smith a “havoc-style player,” which was reflected in his 11 quarterback pressures, the same amount as Tim Smith but in significantly fewer snaps. James Smith also had one sack and four tackles for loss. His average depth of tackle in the run game was the best on the defense at 1.3 yards downfield.

While he primarily plays on the interior, Smith lined up over the tackle 51 times and on the edge 33 times last season. It’s rare that a player has the athleticism to compete on the outside at almost 300 pounds, but Smith looked comfortable, and that quickness is his biggest advantage when battling slow-footed guards and centers on the interior. 

While there is plenty of continuity on the Alabama defense, the Tide need Smith healthy for Week 1 because there isn’t much experience behind him on the depth chart. Redshirt sophomore Edric Hill played just 58 snaps last season, and redshirt freshman Jeremiah Beamon only saw action in three games. 

LT Overton and Keenan will draw the bulk of the attention from opposing offensive lines this season, so the other players up front for Alabama will need to take advantage of their one-on-one matchups. Smith has proven he can, and there aren’t many other players on Alabama’s roster who can say the same. So, despite missing both scrimmages of fall camp, Smith should be a Week 1 starter if he’s healthy enough when the Tide head to Tallahassee on August 31.