Communication on defense in noisy Bryant-Denny Stadium key for Alabama vs. Texas

Alabama is wrapping up its preparation to host Texas‘ high-powered offense inside Bryant-Denny Stadium for Week 2’s headlining matchup.

One of the most important things head coach Nick Saban has been stressing to his team this week is being able to maintain communication through crowd noise. This rings especially true for the defense, who is having to deal with an environment a bit more hostile than the Alabama offense will when they’re on the field.

The same way the crowd will try to keep Texas from making adjustments rings true just the same for the Crimson Tide.

“Communication on defense is probably just as important as it is on offense,” Saban told Holly Rowe on his radio show. “It may be more important because you have to make post-snap … and you’re having to make adjustments on the run. When there’s noise — and I want our fans to make noise, I want our fans to disrupt Texas’ offense and not allow them to change plays. It affects their ability to communicate if you turn up the noise.

“If you can’t use hand signals to communicate — that’s why we make our players use hand signals. It forces you to communicate. … When you play at home it’s probably more important than when you play on the road.”

Rowe, who was a guest at Alabama’s practice on Thursday, revealed that the Crimson Tide were practicing with a noise machine at 102 decibels, which is not quite as loud as Bryant-Denny Stadium on a good night, but is pretty close.

On top of having to overcome to noise, defensive backs such as Caleb Downs, Terrion Arnold and Jaylen Key will have to find ways to shut down the talented trio of wide receivers Xavier Worthy, AD Mitchell — who scored the touchdown to seal the win for Georgia over Alabama during the 2021 national title game — and Jordan Whittington. The matchups out wide could ultimately determine the flow of the game.

The matchup is set for Saturday at 7 p.m. ET live on ESPN. It serves as a highly-anticipated rematch of last season’s trilling matchup where the Crimson Tide escaped an ailing Texas team with a 20-19 victory in Austin.

Now, Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers is now healthy, and is looking to give Alabama its best shot before it moves to the SEC next offseason, but the Crimson Tide remain seven-point betting favorites at home, per Vegas Insider.