re: Bama Football Tidings

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Alabama football fall practice starts Friday, August 2. Dylan Moses, Pete Golding, and Sal Sunseri have to ensure this season’s linebacker group regain its dominance.

Built on dominant defenses throughout its existence, Alabama football leans on the hard-nosed play of top-notch, physical, intimidating linebackers. Alabama linebackers litter All-American teams throughout the past century. The lineage of linebackers under Nick Saban at Alabama is historic. He has rarely whiffed in recruiting at this position. A few of the alpha dogs are Rolando McClain, CJ Mosley, Reuben Foster, Courtney Upshaw, Reggie Ragland, and Donta Hightower.

As teams began running more hurry-up no-huddle offenses, Alabama had to adjust from big run thumpers to leaner, faster and mobile backers. Injuries have ravaged the linebacker corps the past two seasons, robbing the group of reaching its mass potential. Terrell Lewis and Christopher Allen suffered season-ending injuries in fall camp, thus severely limiting the pass rush.

The rushing defense fell to nineteenth (121.27 ypg) in the country after leading the year prior (94.71). In the final three games, the inability to pressure the passer stood out as a glaring weakness for the Crimson Tide. In the championship game, the team produced zero sacks. The losses of Christian Miller, Lewis, and Allen profoundly altered the ability to affect the passer.

Inside Linebackers

Returning to lead the defense, junior Dylan Moses assumes the duty as the defensive play-caller. A Butkus Award finalist, Moses is a commanding presence for new defensive coordinator Pete Golding. Moses led the team in tackles with 86. Destined to be great since he was an eighth-grader, Moses possesses all the tools to become the Tide’s next defensive Alpha Dog.

Replacing the player opposite of Moses, departed junior Mack Wilson, is Joshua McMillon. The senior has a dogfight on his hands as he attempts to hold off hungry Ale Kaho and Shane Lee. The Memphis native recorded 14 tackles last season. During this year’s A-Day, he finished with seven tackles and one tackle for loss.

Shane Lee, one of the top-rated inside linebackers in this year’s class, held his own under the bright lights with eight tackles (six solos) and one interception. Lee earned the Ozzie Newsome Most Improved Freshman Award after the contest.

Ale Kaho transferred to Alabama from Washington. Despite a limited fall camp, Kaho was a special teams demon. Twice named special teams player of the week, Ale expects to bring the tenacity from special teams to the inside linebacker position. Although extremely talented, Kaho needs to exert himself mentally for the preparation it takes to run a Saban led defense.

Two linebackers providing depth are former highly rated linebackers, Markail Benton and Jaylen Moody.

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