Everything Kane Wommack Said as Alabama Enters Mercer Week

A full transcript and press conference video from defensive coordinator Kane Wommack, as he reflects on the dominant road victory against LSU while also previewing Alabama's next game.

Alabama Defensive Coordinator Kane Wommack Reflects on LSU Win, Previews Mercer / Alabama Football

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack spoke to the media during Monday's press conference and reflected on the dominant 42-13 road win over then-No. 15 LSU while also giving a glimpse of the now-No. 9 Crimson Tide's upcoming home matchup against Mercer.

Full Transcript

Opening Statement…

"Very pleased with the effort that our players on defense are playing with right now. I think our guys are playing really hard, really physical, and playing with a swarm defense mentality, which we talk about day in and day out. I thought the practice habits showed up on game day. I thought our guys did a really good job on the bye week and getting some extra reps that we needed to get prepared, and then carried that into the week of preparation on game week and then execute at a really high level."

"One of our keys to victory was to stop the run. This was certainly a pass-oriented offense, but you want to make sure you make them one-dimensional. Outside of the first run they had, whatever that was, in the first series of the game, outside of that one, I thought we did a really nice job stopping the run. I think they only had like 36 yards rushing in the second half.

"We were able to affect the quarterback, which was our second key to victory. I thought we did a nice job changing pictures, windows, our players moving in and out of showing pressure looks then getting out of pressure looks. We kept changing the pictures on him, and I thought that affected him to where we were able to take the ball away from him, and also, speed up some of his progression in some of their route concepts and their route trees.

"Situationally, we got off the field on third down in some really critical moments. We were 8-for-11 on third-and-medium and long. We were 0-for-3 on third-and-short. A couple of them, they got us in sub-package, sub-personnel, and they got to like 4th-and-1 and they were able to convert some of those, some of the short-yardage concepts.

"For us to be 1-of-3 in the red zone, I thought that was really critical. We were able to get stops down there. The first drive of the game, we were able to hold them to a field goal. Coming out in the second half, they had a drive right there and we were able to come away with a takeaway in the red zone as well. Didn’t give up a touchdown right there until the very end of the game. From that standpoint, that was good.

"Three takeaways again. I think we’ve had 13 over the last four games. Our guys are doing a really nice job of taking the ball away, and then we were able to get some pressure on the quarterback. We had two sacks, and they had only given up four all season long. We’re moving in the right direction with a lot of things we’re doing fundamentally on defense, and then guys leaning into some of the things schematically as well.

"When you look at Mercer, really like what they do on offense. Impressed with a lot of the concepts they run. They’re very dynamic. They have a lot of volume — actually probably similar to what we’ve seen the last couple of weeks. They play two quarterbacks, and both of them can hurt you in the run game. They’ll take off and scramble. They’ve got a little bit of a one-plus style in some of the things they’re asking those guys to do.

"They’re playing with a lot of confidence right now, and that’s what comes from being 9-1. You can tell those guys are making plays down field in the passing game, their running backs run really hard. They’ve got two really complimentary ‘backs, one guy that’s really fast and when he gets into space, he can break away, and another guy that’s kind of a bruiser.

"They’re going to have a lot of confidence coming in. We have to do a great job with our preparation throughout the week, like our players have done, and not take anything for granted, then ultimately, show up on game day and play with the level of urgency that I think we’re starting to play with on defense."

On setting the edge on the perimeter…

"I thought we did a really nice job of changing the perimeter pictures against LSU. Some of that was how we were fitting the run and how we were setting, you know, this is our force defender to the field, this is our force defender to the boundary, but also, who is responsible for the flat from a coverage perspective? We kept mixing and changing those looks up, and I think our guys have done a really nice job in that regard.

"That’s something we’re going to have to be aware of this week. Mercer does a really nice job attacking your perimeter, and you have to hold really good edges against them."

On Deontae Lawson seeing his pick in practice, and then the game…

"Those things are huge. It’s also fun, you can point to everybody else on how critical every rep in practice is because it can be the difference in production in the game. On the positive, that was something we showed them and it showed up on game day and he made a hell of a play in that regard. On the other side of it, I’m going to use this example, we showed them the sneak play that they ran on fourth down. We used that in the Saturday morning walk-through, got prepared for it, talked about it, worked it, but we didn’t execute it in the moment. Every single rep matters, whether it’s a walk-through on a blacktop outside of a hotel on Saturday, or a Tuesday or Wednesday practice red zone rep where we end up getting a takeaway. Every single rep matters, and it can be a difference in the game. We saw that on Saturday."

On defensive efficiency in the red zone…

“We tweaked some things that we were doing down there from a scheme standpoint, but I think it was just the different variations of stuff that we have already been doing. Our guys are just getting better and more comfortable at things that were defending down in the red zone. So, you know red zone defense, it's not overly complicated in some of the things that we do from what we're asking them to do scheme wise, but how you defend all the different variations of passing concepts that teams run down there takes a little time to lean into that and I think our guys are starting to do a really nice job. They’re playing with anticipation.”

On Que Robinson’s impact and players stepping up for him…

“Que has done a tremendous job this season and unfortunately will not be with us for the rest of the year. That’s a hard thing to go through as a player. That’s certainly hard on us as a team when you have a guy that’s been so productive for us, he’s a leader for us. I’ve been so impressed with Que’s level of urgency every single day, the leadership and demanding presence in terms of holding a standard that I think he’s really brought to some of our players and guys in that room. He’ll still have to continue some of those roles of being a leader, he’s just gonna have to do that from an off-the-field role.

“We’ll have to continue to step up and move on without him. I’ve got a lot of confidence in some of our younger players that I think have stepped up in that position already. Qua Russaw, Yhonzae Pierre’s doing a really good job, starting to get a little bit more out of him. Those guys are excited for the challenge, next man up mentality. As the season goes on, these are the defining moments—do players step up in the moment when they're needed? And ultimately that will determine our success here on the back end season.”

On Keon Keeley’s Progress and Why Keanu Koht Wasn’t in Baton Rouge…

“Keon is playing the bandit position. Actually got in the game at the end there is doing some really nice things. I think learning the position, you know, he's always been a stand up guy, right? So that's a totally different world when you're putting your hand in the dirt and you're playing all dirt and you're playing all those things. But I think there's some optimism about what he can do for us, he's just learning the position. But from a physical standpoint, from an effort standpoint, I think he's really taking steps in the right direction there.

“Keanu Koht won't be with us this week. I'll let Kalen kind of address those things, but certainly the other guys in the room are ready to step up and fill the role without Q-Rob being there.”

On exploring if Jihaad Campbell could play on the edge without Que Robinson…

“We’re doing those things with Jihaad already as a pass rusher and some sub package things, you know. I think he's really such a difference maker wherever you put him on the field, and so you want to find creative ways to get him in one-on-one matchups. From a pass-rush standpoint, there's things that we can do if we show him as a defensive end and drop him out in coverage, right? There’s different things that we can do scheme-wise, from that perspective, but certainly in terms of giving us pass-rush, I think that is a piece of his game and that’s what to me makes him such a well rounded player. You can play him as an inside backer, you can play him as an outside backer, as a rush edge. I mean that dude's playing four different positions for us right now, and is able to hold a lot of volume in terms of what we ask him to do. So Jihaad is playing at a really high level and we’re gonna utilize him any way we can.”

On if the progress of the defense is a permanent step…

“I would love to say it’s an obvious step. I just don’t have a crystal ball in front of me there. I think our guys are taking steps in the right direction. I think we’re trending in the right direction as a defense. I do think that our players’ understanding of what we’re trying to do from a scheme standpoint, I think our players fundamentally are getting better and better. Our coaches are doing a really tremendous job of just continuing to build the fundamentals within our players. And they’re starting to play with a lot of offensive recognition and anticipation.

“So to me, the makings of a good defense are to create enough negative plays and game-changing-style plays and also eliminate explosives at the same time. I think we’re doing that at a higher level than where we were maybe at the beginning of the season.”

On the example Que Robinson has been to the young litter of Wolf pups…

“Kind of going on what I said before, I think Que holds the standard of urgency, practice habits, discipline that it takes to do that role and to play that position because there’s a lot of things that we ask that guy to do in terms of being a part of a run fit, dropping out in coverage, folding back inside, blitzing off the edge. All those different skill sets that are required, and there’s also a lot mentally that those guys need to be locked into.

"I think Que’s really set the standard of the urgency that we have to have to be discipline to do your job in that role. But then there’s also just a level of energy that he brings and effort that he brings to practice, and it shows up on game day in terms of some of the physicality and effort that he’s showing.

"Those other guys, it’s a great room. C-Rob [Christian Robinson] does a really good job with those guys, and they’re bought into that position. [They] like what we do out of it, and they like their role. But ultimately, when you have a guy who’s been a really steady presence and a playmaker on defense, those other guys are going to have to step up in the moment.”

On if keys to victory are tangible…

“We started doing that years ago, and there’s things that we carry within the Swarm D that are kind of our identity, you know, who we are as a defense. And then on top of that, we talk about what are the three things that we have to do to win this game specifically.

“We talk about it as a defensive staff on Mondays, and then we present it to the players on Tuesday morning, and then we review that on Sunday whether we hit those markers or not. Some of those things are tangible things that we ask our guys to do in terms of maybe stopping the run with a certain number or third-down efficiency or whatever it may be. But other things like affecting the quarterback, you can point to certain tangible things but also, did we put him in a position to where the quarterback played at a more uncomfortable level than what he normally plays? And I thought we were able to do that this past week and that was going to be a critical piece of the game, so we kind of made sure we laid that out for the players.”