Nick Saban breaks down defensive linemen creating value

A defense is only as strong as its front line. On Sunday, Alabama head coach Nick Saban revealed the defensive line’s current status.

“We have five or six guys who are playing pretty well,” Saban said. “We need more people to be able to go out there and play consistently the way you need to play to play winning football because [the current product] is probably not enough.”

In fairness, Alabama’s defensive line suffered a significant hit this offseason. To start, the unit lost Byron Young and DJ Dale in the 2023 NFL Draft. To pile on, Jamil Burroughs entered the transfer portal in late June after facing disciplinary measures.

Nonetheless, with Saban at the helm, the Crimson Tide never runs dry. The unit returns Justin Eboigbe, who played just four games last season before suffering a neck injury that ended his season. In his limited, Eboigbe posted 11 tackles and earned a spot on the Outland Trophy watch list.

Eboigbe isn’t Alabama’s only hope. The team also returns Jaheim Oatis, who shocked fans last season with a breakout freshman season. Oatis appeared in 13 contests and made 10 starts, tallying 24 tackles. Oatis showed astronomical potential when he recorded eight tackles in a road win against Arkansas.

Evidently, Saban has been pleased with the two players’ offseasons.

“Oatis has had a really, really good camp. Justin has had a really good camp so far,” Saban said. “I’m trying to bring some of the other guys along to be able to play. Tim [Smith] is a little up and down. He needs to be more consistent. Everybody has something they can work on, and that’s really what we’re focused on right now.”

For Alabama to reach its peak, it will need Smith. Along with Eboigbe, Smith is the only other senior on the D-line. While Smith might not boast as much natural talent, he has experience. Smith has played in every game for Alabama for the past two seasons.

Of course, weapons are only as dangerous as the ones wielding them. New defensive coordinator Kevin Steele will wield Alabama’s defensive artillery this season. Saban seemingly believes in Steele’s ability to pull the unit together.

“Coach Steele’s a very experienced coach,” Saban said at SEC Media Days. “He’s been a very successful defensive coordinator in our league for a number of years. He’s been with us in the past on several occasions, so he kind of understands our system of how we do things and what we do. It was a combination of his knowledge and experience as well as his familiarity with how we do things that made it a good choice for us.”