Kane Wommack didn’t sugarcoat Alabama’s pass defense after the Crimson Tide beat Florida State. The win was there, but so were the problems, and the defensive coordinator made it clear the secondary was the glaring issue.
"I think (it was) the worst that I've seen since we have been here," Wommack said Monday, Sept. 21.
"Really proud and appreciative of our offense keeping us in that game. I thought they did a fantastic job of continuing to gain the momentum even when we gave it back.
And that obviously is something that our guys-that's not characteristic of who we are in the secondary. I think our guys have a lot of great pride in the way they play."
Florida State piled up 377 passing yards from Ashton Daniels and the Seminoles’ passing attack, which accounted for more than 80% of their 471 total yards. It was also the second game of the Kalen DeBoer era in which Alabama gave up more than 400 yards.
Wommack said the breakdowns in the defensive backfield are correctable, and he pointed out that the issues were not about busted assignments. Of the nine explosive plays Alabama surrendered, none came from missed assignments, he said. The problems showed up because defenders were out of position and, in his words, "didn't have their eyes in the right place."
He framed the breakdown as a matter of fundamentals rather than scheme.
"We got everyone on the same page prior to the snap," Wommack said. "It was a fundamental execution error, or it was a guy probably trying to do too much in the moment. Just do your job and your 1/11th."
The numbers through three games tell a sharp story about Alabama’s defense. In 2024, the Crimson Tide had the 19th-best pass defense in the country.
In 2025, they’ve dropped to ninth. Through three games this season, Alabama is allowing 222.7 passing yards per game, which ranks 95th nationally behind teams like Hawaii, Northwestern and Kentucky.
The overall defensive profile has taken a hit too. Alabama is 63rd in scoring defense at 21 points allowed per game and 34th in total defense at 280.7 yards allowed per game.
"We've had two great years of pass defense, and really have put ourselves in position this year to do a really good job there," Wommack said. "And we did not get it done as a coaching staff and a group of players."
Still, Wommack sounded confident the issue won’t linger.
"I have great confidence in our players," Wommack said. "I have great confidence in our coaches. We are in this together to get those things cleaned up, and I would imagine we will get those things fixed quickly."
In Other News...
Alabamas Slow Starts Are About To Get Seriously Punished
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South Carolina and Mississippi State loom as the next checkpoints, and both carry enough intrigue to make Alabamas opening stretches matter even more. LaNorris Sellers and Kamario Taylor are among the names to watch in those matchups, but the broader concern for the Tide is simpler: if the sluggish opening quarters continue, the margin for error disappears fast once Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M and LSU all come into view. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Heads To South Carolina With Problems It Can't Keep Ignoring
Alabamas win over Florida State in Week 3 gave the offense plenty to like, with quarterback Keelon Russell helping the Tide score on nine consecutive drives. But the celebration came with a sharp reminder of how much cleaner the overall product still needs to be, because the defense gave up nearly 500 yards and 36 points in a game that could have easily turned into a much bigger conversation about balance.
As Alabama turns to South Carolina, the same issues are sitting right in front of it: slow starts that leave little margin for error, explosive plays that flip momentum, and third-down situations that have too often put the defense on its heels. Kane Wommacks unit will have to show it can sustain a better level for four quarters, because the Tide can afford to admire the offenses rhythm only if the other side of the ball stops creating new problems. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Win Was Comfortable But UTSA Exposed One Lingering Concern
Texas left Alabama with little doubt in Week 3, but the broader non-conference slate still gave the Crimson Tide something to think about. Across the American Conference, teams went 2-7 outside league play, and UTSA was one of the better examples of a team that at least found a little footing on one side of the ball. East Carolina also grabbed a needed win over Old Dominion after a rocky start, while Florida Atlantic and North Texas had mixed showings in their own games.
For Alabama, the comfort of the final result did not erase the fact that UTSA managed to reveal a lingering concern. The Roadrunners were better defensively than they had been earlier in the season, but their offense never really got going in the loss to Texas, which is the kind of uneven performance that can still matter for the Tides long view of where this team stands. Alabama got the win it wanted, but games like this are useful reminders that the details underneath the score still deserve a close look. [Read more 🡒]