Alabama’s Defense Is Looking Fierce for 2025, and Kane Wommack’s Fired Up
Kane Wommack is already fired up about what he’s seeing from Alabama’s 2025 defense. It’s still a work in progress, sure—it’s only May—but compared to where they were this time last year, this squad is way ahead.
Last season had its struggles. The secondary lacked experience, the pass rush didn’t show up often enough, and the run defense got torched too many times. But even with those issues, Bama still finished 10th in the country in scoring defense, giving up just 17.4 points a game.
Here’s the kicker: over the final six games of the season, that number dropped to just 12.8 points per game—better than anyone else in the nation. Ohio State led the country last year with 12.9, so if Bama had played like that all year, they would’ve been No. 2 overall.
That 17.4 average was actually Bama’s best since 2017, when the Tide allowed just 11.9 points per game. But the gold standard is still the 2016 team, which gave up 13 a game against one of the toughest schedules in the country. And let’s not forget 2011’s legendary defense, which allowed just 7.1 points a game—Nick Saban still probably loses sleep over that Georgia Southern game where they gave up 21.
Now, the game’s changed a lot since then—offenses are faster, flashier, and more high-scoring. Defense doesn’t win championships the way it used to, but you still can’t win without a solid one. And Bama knows last season’s D wasn’t good enough.
Part of the problem? The offense didn’t hold up its end. In the loss to Oklahoma, the defense forced three picks, but the offense couldn’t turn any of them into touchdowns. That let the Sooners control the ball for almost nine extra minutes. Against Michigan, it was worse—Bama’s offense couldn’t stay on the field, and Michigan ended up with the ball for over 16 more minutes.
So What’s Different in 2025?
There are four big reasons to believe this defense is going to take a leap:
1. Year Two for Wommack – It’s Kane Wommack’s second year running the show, and the players finally get his system. Last season was all about teaching. This year, it’s about execution. The defense should be quicker on reads and sharper on assignments.
2. No Weak Spots – For once, there’s legit depth at every position. Wommack’s got flexibility, especially in the secondary, where he’s confident he can rotate in his best 11 guys depending on the situation.
3. Portal Losses Didn’t Hurt Much – Ten defenders transferred out, but only three of them were likely to compete for serious playing time. Meanwhile, Bama brought in three transfers who are likely to crack the two-deep—two of them with solid experience.
4. Offense Is Looking Better – With Ryan Grubb and Kalen DeBoer running things, the offense should be way more productive. Bama ranked 34th in scoring against Power Five teams last year—expect that number to rise, which will take pressure off the defense.
Bottom line? Wommack’s defense looks ready to level up—and if the offense delivers too, the Tide might just be scary on both sides of the ball again.
