Alabama's Defensive Resurgence Begins With Returning Leader at Linebacker: Dylan Moses
He's baaaaackkkk ....
Actually, that's not completely accurate.
They're baaaaackkkk ....
It was roughly this time a year ago that the Alabama football team was dealing with the harsh reality that the defense wasn't going to be as good as hoped.
About a week before the regular season started Dylan Moses, who was the equivalent of the defensive quarterback as he made the play calls and pre-snap adjustments, suffered a major knee injury.
It came on the heels of the only other interior linebacker with experience, Joshua McMillion, suffering a similar season-ending injury.
Consequently, Alabama didn’t play a single game with an interior linebacker who wasn’t a true freshman last season. Having a veteran presence isn't just considered important at the position (especially in Nick Saban's defense), it's vital.
“I actually think that they did great as true freshmen,” Moses said about Christian Harris and Shane Lee.
"Only losing two games with the two middle linebackers as freshmen, that’s great."
Fast forward to this year and Alabama has gone from having no one with experience at inside linebacker to essentially four starters. So far all indications are that Harris has been working alongside Moses during drills, but considering the coronavirus issues that teams are facing depth has arguably never been so important.
"We need to improve overall on defense," Saban said. "We gave up 18-and-a-half points per game last year, which is the most we've given up — the last two years, we've given up the most points we have for a long time.
"I think we need better leadership. I think Dylan Moses can provide some of that."
Barring another setback, pencil in Moses to be a strong Butkus Award contender. He was as a sophomore after notching a team-high 86 tackles, including 10 for a loss and 3.5 sacks.
Listed at 6-3, 235 he can also be used as a pass-rusher so look for defensive coordinator Pete Golding to move him around.
Alabama might end up having an even bigger competition for playing time at outside linebacker. Christopher Allen and Ben Davis have been leading the group through drills so far, but there's a ton of up-and-coming talent from the latest recruiting class.
Fending them off won't be easy.
Overall, though, there's no doubt about who the leader of the position group is in 2020.
"I want to be able to put a punctuation mark on the back end of my Alabama career," Moses said. "At the same time, I want to be able to affect my teammates. That’s the reason I came back. I care about them, I love them, and they love me so I want to affect them and get us back like we used to be.”
2020 Alabama Linebackers
Returning: Ben Davis, Dylan Moses, Shane Lee, Jarez Parks, Christopher Allen, Christian Harris, Kevin Harris, Ale Kaho, King Mwikuta, Joshua McMillon, Jaylen Moody
New: Chris Braswell, Drew Sanders, Demouy Kennedy, Quandarrius Robinson, Will Anderson, Jackson Bratton
Departures: Anfernee Jennings (NFL), Terrell Lewis (NFL), Markail Benton
This is the seventh story in a series regrading Alabama's fall camp:
• Quarterbacks: Mac Jones Enters Fall as Alabama's Starting Quarterback; The Job is His to Lose
• Running backs: With Najee Harris Leading the Running Backs, Alabama's Ground Game in 20/20 Shape
• Wide receivers: Alabama's Wide Receivers Aim to Be Like Rock Paper Scissors: Versatile and Unforgettable
• Offensive line: Offensive Line Isn't Just an Experienced Group For Alabama, but THE Veteran Group in 2020
• Defensive line: Strength in Numbers Doesn't Begin to Describe Alabama's Potential
• Defensive backs: Alabama's One Major Rebuilding Job is in the Secondary Minus Patrick Surtain II
