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247Sports · BrettGreenberg

Sep 21
'Highly disappointing': Kane Wommack addresses 'worst' pass defense he has seen since joining Alabama staff
Summary
Pick/market: Alabama's pass defense against Florida State was the "worst" Kane Wommack has seen since joining the program three seasons ago.
Alabama's pass defense against Florida State was the "worst" Kane Wommack has seen since joining the program three seasons ago. The Crimson Tide allowed 471 total yards, nine plays of 20 or more yards and allowed the Seminoles to convert on 8-of-15 third downs while also giving up five touchdowns in all five trips inside the red zone. "We had a couple busted plays that came from people not doing their job," defensive back Red Morgan told the media after the game. "[We needed] people just going out there and doing their job. Definitely, people not doing their jobs. We had several busted coverages to where peoples' eyes weren't in the right place. They didn't do a lot of unexpected things. It came down to just everybody doing their job. Most everything they did, we seen." 'BEING QUARTERBACK FRIENDLY': Alabama sophomore receiver Lotzeir Brooks making offense 'tougher to defend' 10 TAKEAWAYS/OBSERVATIONS: What Bama247 learned during Alabama's 50-36 win over Florida State on Saturday Here is more of what the defensive coordinator had to say about the unit with another test looming against South Carolina in Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 26: "Obviously, appreciative to be able to get the win despite a highly disappointing and uncharacteristic pass defense. I think the worst that I've seen since we have been here. 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 that obviously is something that our guys know. That's, you know, not characteristic of who we are in the secondary. I think our guys have a lot of great pride in the way they play. We've had you know two two great years of pass defense, and really have put ourselves in position this year to do a really good job there. And we did not get it done as a coaching staff and a group of players. I thought we did not handle the delay well coming out of the game and gave them early momentum. I thought coming out of that second delay, we did. It was a really fantastic sequence there, of of getting a takeaway and then going three and out, one of of three takeaways and one of three three and outs, and really the the opportunity to put the game away on a third and 14 that we gave up a screen, which is probably the worst play that that I can remember, also being a part of here, that that totally left them back in the game. And so, you know, you take that third and 14 opportunity and you go get off the field, and we're probably talking about a very different ball game in the second half." (Photo: Greg Oyster, 247Sports) Wommack also brought up "finding a way to put people away in the run game" while citing two explosive plays from the Seminoles to start the game. Ousmane Kromah had a 27-yard rush to put Florida State in the red zone on the first drive, while also scoring on a 12-yard rush late in the first quarter as well. "Two things that we had worked specifically that each of our two starting linebackers gave one up a piece, and then for the rest of the game, it was an absolutely dominating performance in the run game. Our D line continues to show up at a high level. The linebackers and secondary support outside of those two first explosive runs were were very very efficient and very very physical. We also were able to affect the quarterback in the passing game. We got to him three different times and sacked him. We also minimized and eliminated his ability to explosive plays outside of the touchdown, the last touchdown in the red zone, which was my fault. I should have put a spy on him in that situation when we we were in that coverage. So that is completely on me, but but I thought our guys did a really good job from from from handling the quarterback, who is a very good athlete and minimized his scramble opportunities both with his feet and him being able to extend plays in the passing game downfield." Wommack said that his defense allowed nine "explosive" plays on Saturday, while backing up what (Red) Morgan said to the media soon after the game. "They were all either fundamental execution errors or guys simply not doing what is asked of them within the structure of the defense. I have great confidence in our players. 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. I talked to our guys." He then brought up the 2015 and 2026 defenses at Alabama, which he described as "probably the last two truly dominating defenses that we have had here" before explaining that "everything" is still ahead of them this year.  "The 2015 defense in the first three games gave up 10 points and 17 points, just exactly like we did. And then the third game of the season, they gave up 43 points at home and lost the football game. And what did they do from that point? They responded with a sense of urgency and went on to be one of the best defenses in the country and won a national championship. But we got to have a sense of urgency to get it fixed. Starts with me as the coordinator. I know our players, as we've already met with them as coaches, and I met with them again this morning. They have a real hunger to get this fixed, as I know they will." "They're pissed. They should be pissed. So they did not do their job at a high enough level, and they are very capable of doing that. And they're disappointed in themselves.The blame cannot be put on any one person. We had nine explosives, and really outside of there was you know one one guy that was probably a part of two guys that were part of two of those explosives. Outside of that, they were one-offs. And so when you do that, though, all it takes is one guy here and one guy there, and then you have a truly highly disappointing day. So they will have a sense of urgency to get it fixed, and they will." And Alabama will need to quickly do so. "Because we've got a great opponent in South Carolina," Wommack said during the weekly press conference. "Their offense right now is highly efficient and explosive, Lenorris Sellers is running the ball as good as I have seen him in three years, and he is also creating a lot of explosives in the passing game with a very athletic receiving core. So we'll have a great challenge for us as always. It's about us, and looking forward to getting back out on the field in Brian Denny on Saturday." Stay up to date with the latest on the Bama247 VIP Boards.

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Teams: Alabama

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