TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Growing up in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Kane Wommack is used to the South’s grueling summer heat. He just doesn’t dress like it.

Wommack's attire has drawn some confused looks during Alabama’s first two days of preseason camp. Despite high humidity and temperatures in the upper 80s, the first-year defensive coordinator has donned a sweatshirt and joggers during each of the Crimson Tide’s outdoor practices.

That’s led to a few questions about why Wommack is subjecting himself to the apparent discomfort.

Could it be a weight-loss method? Is he taking Alabama’s “Cold Summer” recruiting motto a little too literally? Following Thursday’s practice, Wommack was even asked whether his sweatshirt had anything to do with Feng shui.

“That’s too big of a word for me — Feng shui,” Wommack replied with a laugh. “I have worn it for so long that I think it's just kind of what I naturally do. I think early on I was trying to keep off — you see a lot of older coaches they get little spots on them and all that stuff. Then I kind of got used to it and now you get a good sweat in and all that stuff, lose a couple pounds as well. I've done it the last three years in Mobile and did it for years before that so it is what it is.”

Wommack said the unusual summer outfit caused him to drop seven pounds following Alabama’s first practice. Although, while summer weight loss is generally welcomed, this method is working a bit too well.

"I'm trying to gain a little back,” Wommack said. “You want to lose some weight but you want to do it a little bit at a time. It's a full team effort right now [to keep me hydrated]."

While not everyone on the team understands Wommack’s choice of clothing, braving the Alabama heat in a sweatshirt has gained him a bit of respect from his players.

"He tough, he's just like us," Alabama defensive back Malachi Moore said. "He got a sweatshirt on out there, we wearing tights so it kind of coordinates. He hot, we hot."

As for the rest of Alabama’s staff, head coach Kalen DeBoer says he’s taking a hard pass.

“No, you won’t see me like that,” DeBoer said Wednesday. “That’s his thing. Let him do that.”