The retirement of legendary head coach Nick Saban led to a wave of transfers out of Alabama earlier this year, just ahead of the 2024 season. While several position groups were hit, the secondary arguably experienced the most turnover.
Despite those challenges, the Crimson Tide’s defensive backs delivered in key moments, thanks in large part to safeties Malachi Moore (now preparing for the NFL Draft) and Bray Hubbard, as well as freshman cornerbacks Zabien Brown and Jaylen Mbakwe—though Mbakwe has since moved to wide receiver. Transfers like Domani Jackson and Keon Sabb also played crucial roles.
Last season, Alabama clearly lacked depth in the secondary, posing difficulties for both players and coaches. Still, their resilience and performance helped attract a strong group of incoming talent, including freshmen Dijon Lee and Ivan Taylor, along with transfer Cam Calhoun, all of whom are expected to make an impact in 2025. In fact, Alabama may now have the luxury of too much depth in the defensive backfield.
“We have something now that we didn’t have a year ago—depth in the secondary,” said defensive coordinator Kane Wommack during Monday’s press conference. “And that’s exciting. Frankly, it’s what I envisioned when I took this job—great depth across the board.”
Wommack acknowledged that rebuilding depth is part of the cycle in college football, especially during coaching transitions and with players heading to the NFL or the transfer portal. Still, he praised last year’s group for exceeding expectations under challenging circumstances.
With new additions, Wommack finally has more players to work with—each offering a unique blend of size, speed, and strength, which is vital for building a versatile defense.
“Some of these guys can play multiple positions,” Wommack explained. “We’re training players to be flexible between corner and safety so we can build the best possible defensive packages.”
He added, “The key question we ask as a staff is: How do we get our best 11 on the field at the right time? Whether it’s situational or through different packages, my job is to figure that out.”
Though Alabama still has work to do before facing Florida State in Week 1, early signs show that newcomers are adjusting well to Wommack’s system and the guidance of defensive backs coaches Maurice Linguist and Jason Jones.
Last year, the coaching staff was still adjusting in its first season under head coach Kalen DeBoer. Now in Year 2, Wommack feels his returning players are more in tune with his 4-2-5 “Swarm Defense” scheme.
“There’s definitely a new level of comfort,” Wommack said. “Last year, players knew what to do. This year, they understand what to do—and that makes a big difference.”
With improved comprehension of defensive concepts and better football IQ across the board, players are becoming more adaptable and responsive on the field. Wommack also emphasized the team’s current high level of buy-in.
“We’ve kept continuity in the system while adding new wrinkles the players enjoy,” he said. “You want them to be mentally and physically challenged, but also to have fun. I think we’re hitting that balance this spring.”
Alabama wrapped up spring practice this past Saturday with the annual A-Day scrimmage. The secondary is expected to keep building chemistry and depth as they head into summer workouts.
One thing to monitor, however, is the upcoming spring transfer portal window, which runs from April 16 to April 25. With such a crowded defensive backfield, there could be more roster movement, but no decisions have been made public yet.
Leave a Reply