This Alabama Defense Could Be Something Special

Even though the Crimson Tide scored at will against Utah State, the zero was the most impressive number on the scoreboard.

Christopher Walsh | Sep 3, 2022

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Alabama Crimson Tide

For the record, the waving of the white flag happened early.

It came out during the first quarter when No. 1 Alabama had an early 10-point lead, and junior linebacker Will Anderson Jr. — the player widely being described as the best defensive player in college football, and potentially the first-overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft — was on the sideline at Bryant-Denny Stadium getting a break.

Instead, junior linebacker Chris Braswell was in his spot, so Utah State apparently thought it wasn't going to get a better chance to make something happen.

On third-and-7 the Aggies looked to their most dynamic playmaker, wide receiver Justin McGriff, only to see sophomore linebacker Dallas Turner drop into coverage and made the stop short of the first down. Utah State subsequently went for it on fourth down at its own 34 and didn't come close to connecting on the pass.

Game over.

No one needs to do any film study or postgame evaluations from the 55-0 victory to figure out one thing already about the 2022 Crimson Tide: This defense has the potential to be absolutely outstanding.

Granted, Utah State struggled some against UConn last week, and might not be as good as advertised. However, the Aggies are still led by their offense. They tallied 6,247 yards last season, averaging 446.2 per game, and have a lot of key players back from the AP Top 25 team including quarterback Logan Bonner.

Utah State (1-1) had 23 yards on its first play, and the Crimson Tide played like it was mad about it the rest of the night. By the time the Aggies the ball back again, the rout was already on.

Yet even before that, Utah State seemed to look at No. 31 and decide it wanted nothing to do with him. When it had third-and-long on its initial possession the Aggies quickly conceded rather than take its chances, and called a run.

The SEC Network broadcast flashed a stat that Anderson had a 40 percent increase in upper body power, and a 30 percent increase in upper body rate of development from a year ago.

Will Anderson Jr / Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

Defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe / Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY

Kobe Prentice / Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

Bryce Young / Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

Jermaine Burton / Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

Traeshon Holden / Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

Traeshon Holden and Jermaine Burton celebrate / Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

Alabama's smothering defense / Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

But it wasn't just Anderson on Saturday night.

It was everyone, from Jordan Battle to Byron Young.

"I think tonight we showed we can shut out teams if we do what we're supposed to do," said senior linebacker Jaylen Moody, who had a team-high six tackles in his first career start.

"Obviously we don't focus on a shutout."

Alabama's defense was aggressive. It was powerful, swarming and relentless.

It almost always seemed to have an answer as well, something you couldn't say about the 2021 defense.

For example, when Utah State switched quarterbacks and tried to go up-tempo with junior Cooper Legas, senior cornerback Kyree Jackson plowed through his blocker and and took out the receiver on a screen pass for a 2-yard loss.

By that point, Utah State was already down 31-0 with 10 minutes to go in the second quarter. Alabama's offense wasn't fully clicking, either, despite the lopsided score.

Alabama Defense

1st Downs Allowed 7
3rd down efficiency 3-17
4th down efficiency 2-4
Passing Yards 57
Comp-Att 8-22
Yards per pass 2.6
Rushing Yards 79
Yards per rush 2.1

Total Yards Allowed 136

Alabama (1-0) may have the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, but without injured tight end Cameron Latu it didn't have any of the top six pass catchers from a year ago playing Saturday.

The offensive line was also dramatically different from 2021, with a transfer at left tackle and three other new starters surrounding center Darrian Dalcourt, who missed the end of last season with an injury.

Re-forging the chemistry will take a little time, and was evident on plays like when Bryce Young underthrew transfer wide receiver Jermaine Burton in the end zone.

For this game, it didn't matter much as the quarterback reloaded and hit Traeshon Holden for the subsequent score, and had five touchdown passes in the first half, and ran in another before taking a seat.

But the defense?

Yikes.

"The shutout was good, but we still have a lot to work on," safety Brian Branch said. "The biggest positive was seeing everyone fly around."

For one night at least it had everything: Talent, size, experience, depth ...

Big Al was ready Saturday night / Alabama Athletics

Bryant-Denny Stadium at sunset / Alabama Athletics

Jermaine Burton enjoys his first Alabama touchdown / Alabama Athletics

The Walk of Champions / Alabama Athletics

The view from the Million Dollar Band / Alabama Athletics

Traeshon Holden back at center / Alabama Athletics

"Running back" Bryce Young / Alabama Athletrics

Jermaine Burton and Traeshon Holden celebrate a touchdown / Alabama Athletics

No caption necessary / Alabama Athletics

They tried not to be, but the television broadcasters were in awe. After defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe lined up across the center and pushed him back, analyst Jordan Rodgers could only say, "That's grown man stuff."

When sideline reporter Cole Cubelic is raving about your reserves in the first quarter ... yeah.

Nick Saban absolutely, positively hates comparisons, but this defense could be like the 2011 or 2017 Crimson Tide defenses which were statistically on par with any in college football history.

The former was just the second to finish first nationally in all four major defensive statistics, and the latter just missed.

Year Total; Scoring; Rushing; Pass Effic.

2011: 183.6 (1); 8.2 (1); 72.2 (1); 83.7 (1)
2012: 250.0 (1); 10.9 (1); 76.4 (1); 103.7 (7)
2016: 261.8 (2); 13.0 (1); 63.9 (1); 106.5 (9)
2017: 260.4 (1); 11.9 (1); 94.7 (1); 96.78 (2)

This version of the Crimson Tide defense has that kind of potential.

It can shut down the run.

It can apply enormous pressure.

It can cover.

"I'm not sure that we did [make any mistakes]," Utah State coach Blake Anderson said. "That's the best group of players I've ever seen on the field.

"We got physically outmatched most of the night."

Texas figures to be a better test next week as Alabama will face one of its former offensive coordinators, Steve Sarkisian, plus the game will be the road.

Also, the Crimson Tide also didn't force any turnovers, not that it needed any, which the coaches will obviously harp on during practice.

Instead, it relied on plays like the one by Anderson after his third-series break was over, when he came back and absolutely destroyed the running back for a loss.

The ballcarrier simply made the mistake of taking the handoff.

Christopher Walsh's column regularly appears on BamaCentral.

Alabama Defense

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