Alabama’s secondary entered the season with sky-high expectations. Eight weeks in, it’s the unit under the most scrutiny on the roster.
What was supposed to be one of the best defensive back groups in the country has instead become a weekly source of concern for the Crimson Tide. The problems have shown up in different ways: trouble getting off the field on third down, missed tackles, and a lack of steady play. Dijon Lee’s rough outing against Georgia drew the loudest attention, but it was only one part of a bigger issue.
Now Alabama is also dealing with availability problems that have made the room even thinner. The removal of Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. from the team added another wrinkle, and head coach Kalen DeBoer said the staff was forced to juggle pieces during Alabama’s 31-20 win over Texas A&M.
“There are a lot of different pieces with guys that had to move around in this last game, guys who had to step in,” DeBoer said, referencing Alabama’s 31-20 win over Texas A&M. “We were going through the what ifs on the sideline that were happening with who we have on the football field last week against Texas A&M.
It wasn’t two steps away. It got to the point where we were one step away.
It was getting interesting.”
The depth chart has been hit from several angles. Cornerback Zabien Brown, who has been the most reliable player in the secondary, has been out since suffering a lower-body injury against Tennessee.
Red Morgan was ejected against the Aggies after a questionable targeting call. Nick Sherman’s offseason injury has also thinned the group, and freshman Jorden Edmonds has not yet had a full runway after missing the first six games of the season.
DeBoer said the defensive staff managed the situation well against Texas A&M, and he singled out captains Bray Hubbard and Zabien Brown for the way they’ve helped steady things. It’s unusual to have two captains in the secondary, but fifth-year senior Keon Sabb also gives the back end another voice.
“That leadership is important. That consistency, I think, is key for us,” DeBoer said.
“With Bray out there, just, you don’t see guys panicking or anything like that. And obviously, that’s going to be important because it’s a very good passing attack.”
That passing attack belongs to LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt, who is coming off a 38-17 decimation of Auburn. In that game, he threw for 388 yards and three touchdowns, and LSU’s offensive identity remains unsettled while its playmakers rank among the nation’s most talented.
For Alabama, the timing could hardly be more unforgiving. A loss would effectively end the Crimson Tide’s College Football Playoff hopes, and the secondary is the part of the defense carrying the heaviest burden heading into the game. The first eight weeks haven’t offered much reason to believe the group is ready for that test.
In Other News...
Alabamas CFP Spot Just Ignited A Debate Fans Saw Coming
The first College Football Playoff rankings came with Alabama sitting at No. 5, a placement that immediately stood out because it came after two recent losses. CFP chair Hunter Yurachek said the committee weighed head-to-head comparisons and strength of schedule in arriving at the spot, a reminder that the early rankings often say as much about the committees process as they do about the teams themselves.
Still, the reaction was swift and loud across social media, where plenty of fans and analysts pushed back on the Crimson Tides position. For Alabama, the number next to its name is only the starting point, but the debate it triggered is exactly the kind of scrutiny that follows a team with playoff expectations and a rsum strong enough to keep it in the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas Playoff Case Just Got Backing Fans Will Want To Hear
Alabamas playoff position got a little more context this week, and it came straight from the chair of the College Football Playoff Committee. Hunter Yurachek said the Crimson Tides No. 5 ranking is being driven by quality wins over Kentucky, South Carolina and Mississippi State, even with the loss to Tennessee still part of the discussion.
Yurachek also pointed to the committees reasoning in the broader rankings, noting Alabama was placed ahead of Kentucky because of the head-to-head result, while Indiana and Ohio State were handled differently since they were not compared that way. For Alabama, the timing matters too, with a trip to LSU in Baton Rouge coming Saturday and another chance to strengthen a rsum the committee clearly respects. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Heads To LSU With One Road Problem Still Looming
Alabamas trip to LSU comes with plenty of weight beyond the usual SEC backdrop, as both teams enter Week 10 ranked in the top 15 and the matchup carries the kind of late-season implications that can shape the conference race. It also brings together Kalen DeBoer and Lane Kiffin for the first time, adding another layer to a game that already has enough intrigue on its own.
For Alabama, though, the bigger question may be how the offense looks away from home. DeBoer is still unbeaten against LSU, and the Tides defense will be trying to keep LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt from settling in after some turnover issues against Alabamas strong front. If Alabama can solve its road issues, this becomes a very different kind of test than the one that has lingered over the Tide away from Tuscaloosa. [Read more 🡒]