Alabama’s Kane Wommack Talks Defense, Injuries, and Florida State – With a Few Stories Thrown In
Alabama’s new defensive coordinator, Kane Wommack, hit the mic after Saturday’s practice, and he covered a lot of ground—injuries, position battles, fall camp intensity, and a bit of reminiscing about Gus Malzahn.
Wolf Linebackers Are Cooking
Wommack says the Wolf linebacker spot is one of the most versatile on the field. These guys are expected to do a bit of everything—rush the passer, stop the run, and handle coverage. The good news? The older players in the room are clicking now that they’ve got a year in the system. They’re reading plays faster, reacting quicker, and producing more.
Keon Sabb Is Ahead of Schedule
Keon Sabb is back out there, and Wommack says he’s pushing hard. They didn’t expect him to be going this strong this early in fall camp, but he is. He’s not 100% officially, but he’s practicing comfortably, which is a great sign. As Wommack put it: sometimes coming back from injury is about building a “callous”—and Sabb’s doing exactly that.
Husky Role Getting Fierce
The Husky position (think: hybrid DB/linebacker) is another hotly contested spot. Wommack likes the depth they have this year in the secondary, which gives them more flexibility. Whoever wins the Husky job needs to be a Swiss Army knife—cover guys, support the run, blitz, shut down screens—you name it. So far, Wommack’s loving the competition.
Cam Calhoun: Corner or Husky?
Cam Calhoun is getting work at both corner and nickel (the Husky spot). According to Wommack, playing outside corner and the slot is *kinda* similar, but also wildly different in what’s required. Cam’s picking it up well, though, thanks to help from Maurice Linguist and Jason Jones working across both groups.
How Many DBs Will They Use?
Short answer: as many as they trust. Wommack says if backups can play as well as starters, they’ll get reps. He feels a lot better about the depth than he did last year—when five DBs went down ahead of the Tennessee game and they were basically running on fumes.
Going Full-Contact in Practice
Live reps are huge in Wommack’s eyes. It’s where jobs are won and where coaches find out who’s really ready to contribute. He brought up Jeremiah Beaman as an example—a guy who barely played early last season but stepped up big in the bowl game.
Scouting Florida State (And Gus Malzahn)
Wommack’s prepping for a Florida State team with a new offensive coordinator and QB, so it’s a bit of a guessing game. He’s digging into what the QB did at his old school, how he was used, and what kind of schemes Malzahn might bring.
And yep—Wommack *knows* Gus Malzahn. He’s known him since eighth grade when their schools (Fayetteville vs. Springdale) used to square off. He also played under Malzahn when Gus was the OC at Arkansas.
What Makes Gus Special?
Discipline. Detail. Tempo. That’s how Wommack described Malzahn’s coaching style. He says Malzahn’s teams always mirrored his intense, detail-driven personality—and that’s what made them tough to beat.
Bandit Watch: Depth & Development
Behind returning starter Quandarrius Robinson (aka Q), Wommack is keeping a close eye on guys like Keon Keeley and Jordan Renaud. Both are coming along well and could be real contributors. Kevonte Henry just got on campus and didn’t go through spring ball, but he’s one to watch too. There’s enough crossover between Bandit and Wolf that they can shuffle players around to build depth.
Walk-Around Coordinator Life
Wommack’s loving the freedom of being a “walk-around” coordinator, rather than being tied to one position group. It lets him zero in on whatever area needs attention each day and tailor practice focus based on what’s important that week. He says it reminds him of being a head coach—big-picture thinking, but with the ability to jump into the weeds when necessary.
Blood, Sweat & Strategy: Wommack Sounds Off on Sabb’s Health and Bama’s Defensive Dogs
