Alabama's run defense was dominant early in the season, but struggled in the second half against Georgia and again against Tennessee before having a solid day against Texas A&M.
What changed?
Oregon transfer DT Terrance Green got knocked out of the Georgia game in the second quarter. Green has been the Tide's best interior defensive lineman this season, and his loss was much, much bigger than anyone initially realized.
It sounds like the Crimson Tide is on the verge of getting him back before making the trip to Baton Rouge to face LSU this weekend, at least according to star edge rusher Yhonzae Pierre.
"We got TG coming back, Terrance Green," Pierre said to reporters on Tuesday, via 247's Mike Rodak. "We’ve been working on schemes for the defense and for them, so it’s going to be amazing to see what we do Saturday.”
Terrance Green's return would be a huge lift for Alabama's defense against LSU
Green would provide a significant boost for Alabama's defense, not just from a run-stopping perspective, but from a pass-rushing one. And no, not just because of his own ability as a pass rusher, though he can hold his own and racked up 2.5 sacks in the first five games, but because of the versatility it will give back to Kane Wommack.
The injuries up front have piled up in recent weeks and forced Wommack to stick guys in certain positions and not move them. Now, with Green potentially back and guys like Justin Hill healthier coming off the bye, Alabama's front seven should be back close to what it was at the beginning of the season, save for Desmond Umeozulu, who continues to be out.
That front seven was a nightmare for opposing offensive lines. They made life hell for Kenny Minchey and a Kentucky offense that has been next to impossible to stop outside of Alabama's trip to Lexington.
We might see that version of Alabama's defense again in Baton Rouge.
That's what it's going to take for the Crimson Tide to have a chance at pulling the road upset in Death Valley on Saturday to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive.
Wommack will need to call one of the best games of his life to combat Sam Leavitt and Lane Kiffin's prolific and balanced offensive attack. Alabama can't afford to allow this game to become a shootout, not with a young QB and an imbalanced offense that has lost the ground game it had early in the season.
Whether or not Wommack can lead his guys to success remains to be seen. But at the very least, he should have close to his full deck back at his disposal.
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