Alabama Defense Sets Tone for 'Swarm D' in Season-Opening Shutout

The Crimson Tide defense pitched its first shutout since Nov. 2022.

Alabama football 2024 defense / Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Kane Wommack refers to his 4-2-5 defensive scheme as the "Swarm D." It's a physical, fast, aggressive style he wants his defenses to be marked by, and the Alabama Swarm D was on full display Saturday night in the 63-0 shutout victory over Western Kentucky.

"It was really cool to see them get the shutout," Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said after the game. "I was happy for them, happy for Kane, and they're all flying around. There were some times we maybe missed a tackle but there was guys right there to follow up and go make that play. And as we said the two interceptions early in the game really set the tone with Keon [Sabb], just with field position, just with momentum and energy."

That Swarm D tonight. 😤😤😤😤 pic.twitter.com/g5sKXxSu0e

— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) September 1, 2024

Wommack spent the past three seasons as the head coach at South Alabama and said earlier in the week that one of the things he had missed most and was most looking forward to was calling the defense for Alabama this season. He got off to a strong start on Saturday.

No matter the level of opponent, a shutout is still a feat and requires the buy-in of the defense for all 60 minutes in the game. It was Alabama's first shutout since Nov. 2022 against Austin Peay.

Western Kentucky's best chance to score came late in the first quarter when Parker Brailsford snapped a ball high over Jalen Milroe's head, which allowed the Hilltoppers to take over inside the Alabama red zone. The defense held strong on three straight plays, forcing Western Kentucky to settle for a 38-yard field goal attempt. Lucas Carneiro missed the kick, and Alabama keptthe Hilltoppers off the board.

The only other time the Hilltoppers got close to the end zone was on their ensuing drive. Western Kentucky quarterback TJ Finley pieced together a 21-play drive with two fourth-down conversions and three third-down conversions before the Alabama defense finally forced a turnover on downs on the third fourth-down attempt of the drive down inside the red zone.

"I like the never-say-die (attitude), just dig in when they had their backs to the wall," DeBoer said. "Some drives that were coming down the field, one was after a turnover on the offense, just looking at that as an opportunity to make a statement. Just let everyone know that they've got that mindset, that they're going to play together."

Alabama jumped out to a 21-0 lead by the end of the first quarter and had a 42-point lead at halftime. The coaching staff was already rotating in a lot of different players on defense, but the large lead allowed even more young players the opportunity to see the field. There were 27 different players that recorded at least one tackle in the game for the Crimson Tide.

Even though Alabama had a big lead, redshirt junior inside linebacker and captain Deontae Lawson wanted to hold on to the shutout. He kept telling the younger guys, 'They're not scoring,' and he said freshman linebacker Cayden Jones really took the message to heart.

"It’s a great feeling," Lawson said. "Once we got up, that’s what I wanted to keep. I wanted to make sure they didn’t score. When the young guys got in there, they made plays. They flew around. I’m happy to hold them to zero.”

Lawson tied Jihaad Campbell for the team-leading total of nine tackles in the game. Que Robinson was the only player to record a sack, but seven different players had a tackle for loss. Perhaps the defensive MVP though was Michigan safety transfer Keon Sabb, who had interceptions on two of the Crimson Tide's first three defensive possessions.

"I think it was exactly what we wanted to do," Sabb said. "Put something on tape that other teams will see, and we’re trying to send a message to everyone else that we are a Swarm D, and we’re ready to play.”