Alabama’s defense came into last weekend’s scrimmage looking to make a statement. Cole Adams found that out the hard way. The redshirt freshman was popped by safety Keon Sabb following a catch, only to be rocked by Malachi Moore a play later.
Fortunately for Alabama, Adams is just fine. As for Alabama’s defense, the unit certainly made its point.
“We've been going against the same team, the same guys, since the spring, all the summer and all the fall camp, so we were just tired of it,” senior defensive back DeVonta Smith said. “There was a point of emphasis for the defense for us to go out there and have a physical scrimmage. And that's what we went out there and executed.”
The show of physical force comes a week after Alabama’s first fall scrimmage, after which Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack described the unit’s tackling as “just ok” and called for improvement during the Tide's second scrimmage. Like the defense on the field, Wommack’s tone changed after a better showing from his players on Saturday.
“I thought it was an incredibly physical scrimmage—probably the most physical I can remember being a part of,” Wommack said. “I thought I saw a gear from our players, another gear, another level of intensity that I had not seen yet. And that was exciting.”
Wommack said he saw his players rise to the level of physicality necessary to execute in games when the pressure is higher and each defensive rep matters more. Alabama’s scrimmages aim to create those game-style reps and emulate the mentality required to execute them.
The next step for the Tide’s defensive unit is being consistent in its intensity. Fifth-year defensive tackle Tim Smith agrees that scrimmage reps are the best opportunity to simulate game action and that playing physically is a mindset that he and the rest of Alabama’s defense continue to develop.
“I don't think that's something we can really just practice," Smith said. "We practice hard every single day, so that's the intensity that we plan to come out with regardless. Whether guys are in that mode that day to want to do, that's something we have to figure out as our team and ourselves. It's just that we were ready to go out there and play ball.”
As Alabama’s defense continues to find consistency in executing game-like situations, Saturday’s practice left little doubt about the group's hard-hitting potential when the unit is hitting its stride. The hard hits on Adams reminded Alabama’s defenders to prioritize the safety of their teammates. However, the defense’s performance also served as a sign that the unit is ready to be unleashed when Alabama kicks off the season.
Fourtuanly, for Alabama’s offense, it will be Western Kentucky taking the brunt of those big hits when the Tide opens its season on Aug. 31.
“We talk about this all the time, game day is always different,” Wommack said. “It's a different mentality, and there's nothing that we can do to emulate exactly what game day is going to be, but a scrimmage is the closest simulation that we can give you to exactly what game day is going to be like.”
