Kane Wommack has 'knocked some of the rust off' in transition back to DC

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Kane Wommack left South Alabama, where he was the head coach for the last three seasons, to join Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama staff as his defensive coordinator.

His responsibilities are obviously different, but the reason he agreed to a demotion in title – but moving up to a Power Four conference program – was because of his respect for DeBoer.

“It’s a very different role than being a head coach, and part of me leaving a head coaching job is because I trusted the guy that was going to be in the role of the head coaching position,” said Wommack on Monday of Oklahoma game week.

Wommack and DeBoer had worked together as Indiana coordinators in 2019, so when DeBoer was looking for someone to run his defense at Alabama, he turned to an old friend. Wommack explained why he left a head coaching job to coordinate the Tide’s defense.

“His superpower is his consistency,” Wommack said. “In the face of adversity or success, he’s the same guy over and over again. And I think that relentless consistency has been what’s allowed us to kind of navigate through the highs and lows that we’ve seen so far this season and putting in a position to play our best football on the back end of the season.

“For me, to see that in him and then for him to be such a supportive head coach for the way we do things offensively, defensively, special teams, has allowed me to maximize what we’re doing defensively because I feel so supported from the head coach position.”

Ten games into his tenure with the Crimson Tide, Wommack’s defense seems to have found its footing. Alabama has steadily improved since its Week 6 loss at Vanderbilt. In the five games since, the Tide has forced 16 turnovers and has only allowed 20 combined points in its last three outings, which were wins over Missouri (34-0), LSU (42-13) and Mercer (52-7).

Alabama has swarmed to the ball of late, embracing the new coordinator’s philosophy. The Tide defense has been strong the last month as Wommack seems to be finding his groove.

“I’ve really enjoyed the nuances and the little details in coordinating and making adjustments at halftime and figuring out how to stop people,” Wommack said. “The challenge, right, is when somebody’s doing something well against you, how do you still find a way to stop what they’re doing and yet still be aggressive so that you can create takeaways and get off the field on third down. 

“And quite honestly, I would say I’ve gotten better and better as the season (progresses). I’ve probably knocked some of the rust off as we’ve gone through the season. And I think that’s what everybody in the building has to do. 

“I think you either get better or you get worse, and I think step by step as a football team, we’re getting better in that, and that includes me as a play-caller and a defensive coordinator.” 

DeBoer, his old friend, has noticed the same as Alabama gets ready for a final stretch run.

“I think this year for Kane, there’s been a been a combination of trying to incorporate what you’ve done in the past, but also adjusting to your personnel and maybe where your strengths are with our defense right now,” DeBoer said. “I think that’s always been the case. 

“You evolve as a coach based on where you’re at with what that program has with its personnel that are in place and what you bring in as you recruit. But he did that in Indiana. I remember that. And not just when I was there, but following and he just he adapts. He can adjust. He does that in the course of a game. He’s done that in the course of our season. 

“He and the staff have really done a good job gelling, working together. They tap into each other’s strengths. Football coaches all have a different take on things at times, and I think he’s done a great job at gelling. And you can see the development of our defense happening and I think that’s attributed to his leadership.”

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