It has been a staple of Nick Saban-coached teams in the past that they could trot out defensive lineman two deep that could all rush the passer and stop the run.
Not so at Alabama. In fact, the pass rush has been a consistent problem.
Alabama has done well stopping the run, but no Alabama defensive lineman has been consistent rushing the passer in years. This season, it really hurt as the Tide needed that pass rush to protect its young secondary.
The LSU game in particular was lost almost entirely because they let two bottom-feeder quarterbacks relax and have the best games of their careers.
Nick Saban has been planning this overhaul for some time as the problem isn't new, but we are starting to see the plan come to fruition now.
Marcel Dareus was gathering steam at the end of 2009 and had a chance to have a special season this year, but offseason trouble with the NCAA followed up by a severe ankle sprain ended any chance of that.
Though he hounded Auburn and practically destroyed Michigan State, all information points that he will take his ever so brief success and head to the NFL early. Thus, Alabama is left with no one who could scare my grandmother.
Gone is Bo Davis the defensive line coach. In comes up-and-comer Chris Rumph from Clemson. Rumph has a good recruiting background and has coached up some quality defensive ends before.
Alabama is doing their level best to give Rumph some new blood to work with. But first Alabama is hoping Rumph can help lure the nations No. 1 recruit regardless of position to the Crimson Tide.
Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney from Rock Hill, South Carolina is to defensive ends what Julio Jones was to receivers when he was recruited several years ago. At 6' 5", 235 Clowney has size, strength, quickness and speed. He is a game changer at the college level, the kind of player the offensive coordinators have to game plan around.
It will not be easy to get him away from the home team South Carolina Gamecocks, but Alabama will give it their all because they need this kind of player.
Alabama has already signed two defensive lineman from junior college. One, Jessie Williams, is the top rated junior college player in America. Some who have seen Williams play say he is not only ready to step in and play at the SEC level but that he is physically mature enough to play at the NFL level. He is likely to play the nose guard at Alabama and may own the middle of the line for the next two seasons.
Alabama also re-signed Quinton Dial, a massive tackle/end end prospect from Pinson, Alabama. Dial had an outstanding season at East Mississippi Jr College, totaling 76 tackles and 4 sacks.
Alabama does return a few guys with experience, though they all need to improve.
The best of those coming back is Damion Square. Square, who is 6'3", 284 lbs began as a hot prospect in 2008 but blew his knee out in 2009. He returned by spring of that year but lacked the burst he needed to rush the passer. He seemed to grow stronger the more time he put between himself and the injury and was beginning to show sings of life late in the season.
If he can build on what he has done to this point he could begin to reach his potential this season. Spring will be key as the competition level is taking a big jump.
Josh Chapman is the old veteran on the line. Chapman has played extensively the last three seasons starting all of 2010. Backing up Mt Cody during 2008 and 2009, he was a valuable man off the bench. As a full-time starter he seemed to get lost this year. Chapman may once again be coming off the bench this year, which he was great at in the past.
Kerry Murphy is just finishing up his second season on campus. He's actually a high school classmate of Josh Chapman and signed at the same time but did not make it directly to campus. He finally arrived and this past season began to show some flashes of the ability that was evident in his high school days.
A few other lineman have played sparingly. Defensive ends Darrington Sentimore and Undra Billingsley both seemed to have potential as pass rushers but didn't see the field much last year. No one is certain as to why. Both players have some quickness, so there is potential there for them to contribute in the future.
Ed Stinson was a jack but lacked the speed to be effective. He's very big at 6'4", 252 lbs so the move to defensive end makes sense. A slow linebacker can be a fast defensive lineman.
There are other recruits Alabama is after this year and they have no less than seven other scholarship defensive lineman on campus.
I don't mention their names because in that group you likely have your next Lorenzo Washington who shows up out of nowhere to become a contributor several years after high school and you have some guys that will likely end up transferring or finishing their careers without much notice.
It's anyone's guess which of those guys will matter and which will not.
One thing for sure is the status quo to date will not be acceptable. Everyone will need to step up their game or Nick Saban is going to roll some heads. If Alabama can solve this problem they have a chance to have a very special defense next year.
Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/562112-chris-rumph-leads-overhaul-alabamas-defensive-line
Andrew Brackman A.J. Burnett Steve Garrison Phil Hughes Damaso Marte Mariano Rivera
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