Dallas Turner, Alabama pass rush look forward to facing Jayden Daniels

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Dallas Turner has made a lot of big plays for Alabama this season, but in the last two games, the junior has recorded key fourth-quarter sacks against SEC opponents.

Two weeks ago against Arkansas, Turner and defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe combined for a sack that forced the Razorbacks to punt the ball back to the Crimson Tide offense with 5:30 left to play, allowing Alabama to drain the game clock. Last week against Tennessee, Turner sacked Joe Milton for a 17-yard loss that was the final nail in the 14-point victory’s coffin.

After making those plays, Turner pressed his hands together and held them up to his cheek as if was going to sleep. He explained his mindset in the late-game situations – and celebrations.

“If the team is down and it’s toward the end of the game, of course, they’re going to pass the ball, and the pass rush loves when they pass the ball,” Turner said. “A sack is definitely coming by somebody. That game, it just happened to be me. The sleep celebration, it’s the dagger. Put them to bed or something like that. It’s a celebration and I be having fun.”

Turner has been one of the best pass rushers not only in the SEC but the entire nation this fall. He leads the league and ranks fifth nationally in sacks with eight and has also registered 11.5 tackles for loss to rank second in the SEC. Turner has the nation’s second-highest pressure rate (27.6%) against dropbacks of three or more steps, according to CFB Film Room.

Along with Chris Braswell, Alabama has the best edge-rushing duo in the country. Braswell is not far behind Turner in terms of sacks (6.5) and tackles for loss (9.0) and ranks fourth and fifth in the conference, respectively. What has led to the twosomes’s success this season?

“This stuff, we’ve been talking about it since February,” Turner said. “Just instituting the plan and being able to lean on each other and learn from each other, as well. I watch him and he watches me a lot at practice, so we get to talking about each other in good ways and helpful ways, as well. It’s good to have another dude that’s just like you on the other side of the pass rush. 

“It’s been very good to see him do the things he’s been doing.”

Turner is well-known for his ability to pressure the quarterback, but he has also been sound in setting the edge and stopping the run for the Alabama defense this fall. A good example of that occurred late in the first quarter of the win over the Vols, when Turner blew up the tight end on a Milton run at the Alabama 9, disrupting the play and allowing Deontae Lawson to make a tackle. It helped the Tide force another Tennessee field goal rather than give up six.

Dallas Turner…edge set. pic.twitter.com/A6hU567rmb

— Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) October 23, 2023

Turner considers making plays like that just as important as trying to record a sack.

“I treat it the same,” Turner said. “You have to treat the run the same as the pass. Setting the edge is definitely an important part of being an edge player. I was just doing my job. I do it every day in practice, so it’s nothing new for me.”

Turner and the pass rush will look to keep things rolling next week against LSU. Alabama enters the Week 10 matchup with 29 sacks, which is tied for the SEC lead with Texas A&M and is good for the second-most among FBS teams. Since its loss to Texas, UA has recorded at least three sacks in every game since, with Turner at least sharing a sack in each contest.

The Crimson Tide tallied a season-high six sacks against the Tigers last year, but quarterback Jayden Daniels was still able to rush for 95 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries (5.3 ypc) in addition to throwing for two more scores in a 32-31 overtime win in Baton Rouge. This season, Daniels paces the SEC with 2,573 yards and 25 touchdowns through the air.

Daniels leads the nation in yards per attempt (11.5) and passer rating (204.32) through his first eight games. He is the only quarterback with a 200-plus pass rating, and the Heisman Trophy contender also has the seventh-most rushing yards (521) of any player in the SEC.

While Alabama’s players are already well aware of the challenge that awaits next Saturday, they are looking forward to facing Daniels and LSU’s offense on their home turf this time around.

“Jayden Daniels is a very good quarterback,” Turner said. “They have very good receivers and a solid offensive line. It’s very exciting. It has to be a very big preparation for us as a defense to make sure we’re playing on the same page. It’s going to be a very exciting matchup for us.”

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