re: The biggest difference in Alabama 2011-2020 and Alabama 2021-2022 is not being able to

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You're right, but who was the defensive coordinator for Bama from 2018-2022? That would be Pete Golding. Kirby left in 2015 and then Pruitt was right after him. Our defense was fine in 2015-2017. So it looks like we got rid of our "problem".

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Maybe. Maybe not.

You can blame Golding was co-coordinator or DC since 2018. He was promoted to DC in 2019. Saban not firing him sooner (if he was as bad as many Tide fans claim) speaks volumes.
Saban is not usually shy about telling coordinators to look elsewhere.
Just a personal opinion is that the change in your defense came with the change in your offensive philosophy. More throwing the ball and less pound and ground. (I have to admit that I don't know how much your TOP changed over the last several years since the change)

Rumor is that Alabama is going back to the ground and pound method of running the ball and wearing down the defenses giving your own defense time on the sideline to rest and come back in fresh. If you do it might take a year or two to get your LOS back up to the brawl fighting in the trenches style needed. Can it be done before Saban retires? maybe.