Eryk Anders says Kevin Steele Brings Different Level of Intensity to Alabama Defense

Former Alabama linebacker describes what he expects to see out of the Crimson Tide defense under coordinator Kevin Steele.

The Alabama Crimson Tide defense has been a subject of great scrutiny over the last few seasons while under the direction of former Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding. During the offseason Golding decided to head to Mississippi to take the same position with the Ole Miss Rebels, leaving a vacancy and an opportunity for a familiar face to return to the Mal Moore Athletic Facility.

Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban scrolled through his rolodex and decided to bring Kevin Steele back to Tuscaloosa to run the defensive side of the ball. Steele had been with Alabama in two separate stints, leaving an indelible impact on the players he coached.

"Kevin Steele's the man. He's one of my favorite coaches. Him and Sal Sunseri are probably two of my favorite coaches that I've ever had," said former Alabama linebacker Eryk Anders on "The Joe Gaither Show on BamaCentral." 

"Kevin Steele, he brings just like a different level of intensity to practice. He'll have you ready to run through a brick wall. He doesn't accept anything but the best, and perfection. You can expect that Alabama defenses to be one of the top defenses in the nation, one of the most aggressive defenses in the nation and have plenty of turnovers coming this year."

Anders will be one of two former Steele students in Tuscaloosa this weekend as he and Darren Mustin will serve as Alabama's honorary captains for the season opener against MTSU. 

So what does the UFC superstar expect to see out of the 2023 Alabama defense?

"With Kevin Steele back on defense, I'm a defensive guy, offense is cool and all, but I love when defenses come up with stops. Three-and-outs, things like that. I think we'll see a lot of turnovers, we'll see a lot of three-and-outs, we'll see a lot of big plays out of the defense which makes football for me exciting," Anders said.

Alabama fans will get their first taste of Steele's 2023 defense as the Tide kicks off against MTSU at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 2 in Bryant-Denny Stadium. 

See Also: 

Former Alabama LB and UFC Star Eryk Anders on The Joe Gaither Show | Episode 69: Aug. 28, 2023

How Good Can Alabama's Defense Be? 'Defense Has No Limits'

DE Justin Eboigbe on Nick Saban's Relationships with DBs: '[There's] Always Favoritism'