TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Nick Saban wants to set the record straight — starting defensive end Da’Shawn Hand isn’t changing positions.
Hand raised a few eyebrows Wednesday when he was seen working with the outside linebackers during practice. Although Saban dispelled the notion of the former five-star switching to a new spot on the field later in the day during his news conference, there was still some confusion as to why Hand was working with the outside linebackers at all.
Saban made sure to clear that up during his weekly radio show Thursday.
“Now we’re not moving Da’Shawn Hand to outside,” Saban said. “I mean Da’Shawn hand has played outside, he was an inside pass-rusher in rabbits. We might change him to be an outside player in rabbits, but we are not going to stand him up and play and not going to try to teach him how to play outside linebacker.”
Saban explained that while Hand probably has the ability to switch to an outside linebacker position, the move wouldn’t make sense as he is already one of the top defensive linemen on Alabama’s defense.
“Sometimes when you start moving players around you rob Peter to pay Paul,” Saban said. "You start making yourself worse at two positions. We don’t have as good of a guy to play his spot, and he’s not as good as what we would like him to be at the spot we moved him to or as a productive as he would be if he stayed at the spot he has experience at.”
Hand was part of the Crimson Tide’s dime rabbits package, a formation that included six defensive backs, two linebackers and three defensive linemen. While that might make perfect sense to Alabama’s staff, the term is still a bit foreign to some fans.
“The connotation of rabbit tells you what, fast. So we want fast guys on the field,” Saban explained. “I think that (we lost) three of our best pass rushers, that were those kind of guys we played in the rabbits group, which is the fast group, the most speed for loose plays to rush the passer and all that. We have to get some of these other guys to develop in these areas, and we are working hard at it.”
Wednesday, the first-team dime rabbits unit included Isaiah Buggs, Da’Ron Payne and Hand up front with Keith Holcombe and Jamey Mosley serving as the two linebackers. Anthony Averett and Levi Wallace were at the two cornerback positions, while Tony Brown played Star and Minkah Fitzpatrick played at Money. Hootie Jones and Ronnie Harrison served as the two safeties.
That might be the Tide’s starting unit in dime, but the loss of linebackers Rashaan Evans (groin), Christian Miller (biceps), Anfernee Jennings (ankle) and Terrell Lewis (elbow) in the opener means Alabama will now need to develop its depth moving forward.
Freshman defensive end La’Bryan Ray was moved to outside linebacker this week along with along with redshirt sophomore inside linebacker Joshua McMillon. Ray is not the only freshman who might see immediate playing time, as outside linebacker Chris Allen was seen working on the second-team unit on dime rabbits.
“A week ago, I would have told you Chris Allen may or may not play this year,” Saban said. “I would have told you LaBryan Ray may or may not play, they may get redshirted. Those are guys that we are going to coach and develop and only play if we have to. Well, in one week, 10 minutes in the game, we have to.
“These guys are guys we think are going to be really good players, we just didn’t think we were going to have to play them this quickly. They are going to learn a lot, and hopefully, over the next couple of weeks they will gain some confidence and do what they’re supposed to do.”
Five-star linebacker Dylan Moses is another freshman who could see extended playing time. Moses played in the dime rabbits package during Alabama’s season opener against Florida State last week and had one of the better freshman debuts, tallying a tackle while forcing a fumble and recovering a blocked punt on special teams.
Fortunately for Alabama, it has plenty of talent to plug in at the linebacker position. However, as Saban noted Thursday night, translating that ability onto the field is often difficult for younger players.
“These young guys get so much anxiety,” Saban said. “They actually know it. They could give you the answers to the test. If you ask them in my office, ‘What do you do when we call this defense,’ they can tell you chapter and verse. You get out there on the field and you call it and they get into the formation and everybody running around making calls and the music’s playing and we’re going fast. Anxiety, they go brain-dead on you a little bit.
“That comes with experience and confidence and the only way they are going to get that is to play,” Saban said. “They are going to get an opportunity to do that.
Alabama will play Fresno State on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT inside of Bryant-Denny in what will be the Tide’s home opener.
