This offseason, Alabama football was tasked with replacing every defensive back from its 2023 roster aside from Malachi Moore.
At corner, the Crimson Tide returns one member from its 2023 squad in Jahlil Hurley. At safety, it returns three members from its 2023 roster, including Moore, and brings in transfers Keon Sabb (Michigan), King Mack (Penn State) and Kameron Howard (Charlotte) from the portal and two true freshmen from its 2024 recruiting cycle.
Via the transfer portal, the Crimson Tide lost Caleb Downs to Ohio State, who led the team in tackles in 2023 (107). It also lost Jake Pope (Georgia), Kristian Story (Kentucky) to the transfer portal and Jaylen Key to the NFL Draft.
Alabama also brings in coaches Maurice Linguist and Colin Hitschler, who joined coach Kalen DeBoer’s staff over the offseason and are in charge of the Crimson Tide’s defensive backfield under new defensive coordinator Kane Wommack. Wommack will be instilling his 4-2-5 “Swarm” defense at Alabama, brought with him from South Alabama.
Wommack will be introducing new terminology to the Crimson Tide safety room: Rover, the strong safety, and Husky, a more hybrid player who is essentially the nickel defensive back in Wommack’s system compared to that of former coach Nick Saban’s.
Here is how Alabama’s safeties room looks heading into fall camp. Every scholarship player and any notable walk-on is mentioned:
The options for Alabama football at safety
Projected starters: Rover: Keon Sabb, r-so.; FS: Malachi Moore, gr.; Husky: Devonta Smith, r-jr.
Reserves: King Mack, so.; Kameron Howard, so.; Bray Hubbard, so.; Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., fr.; Red Morgan, fr.
Sabb was a huge pickup for the Crimson Tide from the portal. He brings with him two years of elite college football experience, including one as a national champion with the Wolverines. He tallied 28 tackles, one for loss, along with four pass break ups and two interceptions in 2023.
Moore typically manned the-now Husky role for the Crimson Tide last season, but expect to see him perhaps man the free safety position this season. Last year, Moore was named a permanent team captain and started in 13 games, tallying 52 tackles, five for loss, to go with five pass breakups, one interception and one quarterback hurry.
Smith spent the first half of 2023 rehabbing from injury, but was able to see time in four games, where he collected four total tackles.
Howard saw time in nine games for the Crimson Tide in 2023 contributing on special teams. Mack appeared in 13 games at Penn State as a true freshman, totaling three tackles and a quarterback hurry. Howard saw time in 12 games at Charlotte last season and started in two of them, registering 38 tackles with 0.5 for loss to go with two interceptions and one pass breakup.
Morgan comes to Tuscaloosa as a four-star prospect and Kirkpatrick Jr. a three-star, per the 247Sports Composite.
The upside
Wommack’s defense might be a learning curve for the Crimson Tide players but should be one that should be easy for players to catch on to.
Speaking at SEC Media Days in Dallas, Moore spoke of the differences between the two systems, calling coach Saban’s defense “very complex,” while referring to Wommack’s as “a lot simpler.”
“Coach Saban’s defense was a very complex style of defense from making checks to motions and different formations and alignments of receivers. It was a very complex system to be in and you had to be a very good communicator, you had to be very smart,” Moore said. “In this defense, now under Coach Wommack it’s a lot of vision coverage and it’s a lot simpler from people who were in coach Saban’s defense. A lot more eyes on the quarterback allowing you to make plays on the ball and get more turnovers.”
Players will also have plenty of time to adjust between the two between spring practice and fall camp before the season-opener on Aug. 31 vs. Western Kentucky.
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One question or concern
Alabama lost majority of its production at safety from the 2023 season, so of course the question remains as to how Alabama’s secondary will perform this season.
Aside from Moore and Smith, Alabama’s safety room lacks real-game SEC experience. However, the Crimson Tide bring in key transfers, especially in Sabb coming in from Michigan with prior College Football Playoff experience.
Alabama also brings in talent from its 2024 recruiting cycle in Morgan and Kirkpatrick Jr. and with its transfers in Howard and Mack, both sophomores, the Crimson Tide safety room should be in a good position for years to come.
Breakout candidate
Last season, it seemed as if Smith was in line to serve a bigger role for the Crimson Tide. But injuries prevented him from doing so, not appearing in a game until November vs. Kentucky.
This season, Smith is in prime position to start the Husky position in Wommack’s new defense.
Smith, in his redshirt junior season at Alabama, has waited for an opportunity like this one, expect him to be ready.
