Everything Kane Wommack said after Alabama's fifth preseason practice

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack spoke to reporters on Tuesday morning after the team’s fifth preseason practice. Below is everything he said.

Wommack on what he’s seen from the Husky position…

“The Husky position is such a critical spot for us because you’re really asking a guy with a dynamic skill set to do a lot of different things. He’s got to play man, he’s got to play zone, he’s got to be able to rush off the edge, he’s got to be able to fit in the box from time to time. So there are a lot of things at play there. But I’ve been pleased with a number of those guys so far. I think DeVonta Smith has done a really good job. Red Morgan has really impressed me. It’s always fun to watch freshmen from where they were in the spring to where they are headed and that jump that they make through the summertime. I think he’s probably made a huge jump in that regard. I’ve been pleased with some of the things I’ve seen from King Mack, as well. Coming from another institution, learning all the things that he needed to learn. He’s made a step here in the summertime here to be able to do that so he can execute at the level we need him to.”

Wommack on if the cross-trains players at Husky…

“Nowadays, you really see this in the NFL. Brian Branch is a great example of that. People are really trying to get a nickel, a Husky-nickel-type player down in and down out. And you almost have to recruit or draft to that position specifically. But I think the same way in the NFL, probably even more so than us, you always have to have the next best guy out of that room that can step in anywhere. If it’s at the Husky position, if it’s at the Rover, safety, field or boundary, whatever it may be, you’ve got to have crossover work out of that whole safety group.”

Wommack on the chances of playing all three inside backers at the same time…

“I think when you look at that position, you’ve got to find ways to get people like that on the field. We have three starter-type players, and so we’re always going to look at packages and ways that we can say when they come out in this personnel grouping, we’d love to find a way to get these guys out there on the field. We are a five-defensive back defense. For us, that’s not going to change. That’s who we are, that’s what we’re going to do. But at the same time, finding creative ways, maybe in some sub packages, to be able to get them out there would be great, and that would be more a game plan thing from week to week.”

Wommack on Qua Russaw…

“I think Qua has taken such a leap from, out of high school, he played the inside linebacker to now playing the outside linebacker position in a new system this spring. I think he’s made a huge jump in the confidence level that he’s playing with now. So when you look at him, I think he’s just starting to produce and make a lot more plays because he has confidence in what he’s doing. Physically – we use the term freak around here – but when you talk about him, that guy is truly freaky in terms of his strength and athleticism and speed. He is starting to play with that confidence that we need out of that position.”

Wommack on Zabien Brown…

“Zabien was so impressive to me coming right off the jump. To walk out of high school early as a mid year enrollee then to be able to play the way he has been playing from the spring time … What I’ve been most impressed with him is when he makes a mistake. He gets it corrected and I can’t think of a time I saw him make the next mistake again. That same mistake. It’s been impressive the level he’s been able to do with that. Again, I think I am maybe overusing the word confidence here, but that’s really what it comes down to with all these guys. Having confidence in our system. Having confidence in themselves as younger players going through spring ball and realizing I can do this at a high level. I think that’s what you’re seeing from Zabien.”

Wommack on Brown playing with a club on his hand…

“He’s limited. He’s on a bit of a pitch count and stuff right now. We expect him to be fully back and going in the next couple of days here.”

Wommack on what stood out about Alabama that he didn’t expect…

“I had never spent time in Tuscaloosa, other than coming in for a game, going to the stadium and unfortunately getting my butt whooped and going home. It will be nice to be on the other sideline moving forward. I think the town is beautiful. I didn’t realize all the water that is around here. You’ve got the river and you’ve got Lake Tuscaloosa. All that stuff is really nice. I think one of the things I didn’t expect and didn’t realize is how giving Coach Saban (is) and how good he has been to me. To have that relationship, to be able to draw things upon his experience has really lessened the learning curve for me and was something I didn’t necessarily expect or anticipate. But I have been really appreciative of how open Coach Saban has been.”

Wommack on how often he talks to Nick Saban…

“We’ve talked multiple times in person and we’ve talked a number of times on the phone a number of times. When I call, he answers, which is really awesome.”

Wommack on Keon Keeley…

“Keon has a very special skillset. He’s very strong at the point of attack. He’s very twitchy to be that big. We made that transition from him being an outside linebacker, which when you see his frame at this level and the next level, he most certainly is going to be more of that rush defensive end. We’ll still drop those guys from time to time, but at the same time, he’s been really impressive with just being able to put his hand in the dirt, something that he hasn’t really done much. I think he has taken to that role, and he’s learning a ton right now. But you see him taking some steps. I thought he’s another guy who made great steps from the spring to summer.”

Wommack on Yhonzae Pierre…

“Yhonzae has really worked to change his body. I think that he is putting good mass on right now. We’ve got to continue to get him to do those things. Athletically, he’s very fluid. Very smooth out of his hips. I think he can transition in pass rush really well. He can turn the corner really well. At the point of attack, he’s getting more and more physical. In fact, he made a really great … Set the edge of the defense today. The ball bounced outside, and he ripped off and made a play. Those are the things I’m looking for him to take the next step from a physicality standpoint, playing that outside linebacker position. Sometimes you’re really playing a defensive end position. I think he’s taken some great steps in that regard.”

Wommack on Chuck Morrell…

“Yeah, Chuck Morrell has been awesome. I obviously, through my relationship with Kalen over the years have always known about Chuck and heard about Chuck, but getting to work with him first-hand — he is an absolute pro. A brilliant defensive mind. Does a tremendous job with those linebackers. He spends a great bit of the time with those guys. And to me, it has been great — for me, he’s been with Kalen for the last four years, so knowing what to expect, how we do things from a schedule standpoint — he’s really kind of been my right hand when it comes to those things. Very glad that he’s on the field. Very glad for that rule change, because that’s allowed us to do some things where he’s able to work with the linebackers hands-on, and allows me to kind of be able to address some of the needs on a macro level with our defense.”

Wommack on Jeremiah Alexander…

“Jeremiah has taken some great steps forward from the springtime. Been pleased with — he really changed his body. Lost about 13, 14 pounds. He looks good right now. He looks lean, and is starting to, kind of, understand and grasp what we’re trying to do defensively. He can make checks and communications. So I think — here’s a guy that was playing outside linebacker that is now moving to inside linebacker and that takes a little bit of time to transition, but I think he’s taken steps in the right direction.”

Wommack on if there are frustrating times at practice…

“Yes. The answer would be yes. There’s always frustrations. There’s always hardships, there’s always some of that hard practice that you have to get through. Even just getting through a practice for a players right now — Dave Ballou, Jeff Allen — those guys do a phenomenal job. They’re the best in the country in what they do. But getting into a practice and learning how to practice, going through 28 periods of whatever it might be, those are hard things to go through. You’ve got to push through some of that adversity. Schematically, our guys are learning things. This is a new defense, right? So they’re having to work through those things as well. Don’t get it twisted, now. We lost — we had two very experienced corners that we just lost. Two very experienced pass rushers. I’m excited about some of the things I’m seeing from our guys, but when the lights come on and the ball gets spotted, you’ve got to show up and produce. So we’re doing everything we can right now to put them in those adverse situations, to see if they can respond. It doesn’t mean they’re always going to do it right the first time but can they show that they can respond to that adversity is to me the indicator if you can trust them on the field.”

Wommack on how his personality differs from Kalen DeBoer…

“I think probably one of the greatest things about Coach DeBoer is — it’s never too high and it’s never too low. In the midst of chaos or adversity, I’ve been in those moments, I’ve been in the foxhole with him. I’ve seen how his calming presence just really transcends to the rest of the football team. I would be a little bit more the ying to the yang. From a — I’m a little bit more, from an energy level standpoint, I’m a yeller out there at practice. I’m gonna demand on a different level and I think you have to have a great combination. When you think about it from a head-coaching perspective, the way you want to build a staff is you don’t want all the same personalities and you don’t want yes-men. You want people that are complementary to who you are as the head coach, but they also can lean into your vision and they can accomplish your vision through their personality. And I think that’s something that has come very natural for Kalen and I.”

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