'In a room full of freaky people, he's the freakiest' – Kane Wommack is sky high on Alabama pass rusher Qua Russaw

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Qua Russaw is going into his third season at Alabama. After not playing as a true freshman in 2023, the former five-star recruit emerged as the Crimson Tide's starting Wolf linebacker in Year 2, but an injury against Wisconsin in Week 3 limited him for the remainder of the season and kept him from making the type of impact that many had hoped or expected.

In total, he played 403 snaps on defense while starting six games. He started Alabama's first three games, but then wasn't technically a starter until the final stretch of the season where was on the field for the first snap in three of the final four games. Of his 13 pressures, nine of them either came prior to the injury or in that final four-game stretch, including tying a career-high against Auburn with three.

Russaw is a capable player.

In fact, he's wildly considered one of the better athletes on Alabama's roster. Strength and conditioning coach David Ballou recently described him as, pound-for-pound, one of the strongest players on the roster. Then following Wednesday's first full-padded practice of fall camp, defensive coordinator Kane Wommack was asked about Russaw and if there are any similarities to former Pittsburgh Steelers great James Harrison, who Russaw watches and tries to model his game after.

“I haven’t thought about that necessarily from that perspective, but James Harrison is one that I would like Qua to play like as well," Wommack replied when asked if there were any comparisons. "I think Qua is, in a room full of freaky people, Qua is the freakiest. He is freaky athletic and I think he is a special talent in terms of his strength. You watch him at the point of attack, when we start talking about violent hands, which is one of our ‘Bama fundamentals that we continue to stress and harp on, Qua’s ability to destroy blocks and get off and make plays.

“There was a play against Auburn, a guy came and pulled against him, and I mean he absolutely obliterated him at the point of attack. Those are things that show up on tape in terms of his strength and physicality. But ultimately it’s about knowing. What I like about Qua is knowing when to and when not to from a physical standpoint, be too aggressive. I think he’s learned a lot, last year with the experience that he had, and I think he’s, what I could call, has turned himself into a controlled, aggressive player.”

For those who aren't familiar with the play against Auburn, I shared it to my Twitter earlier in the offseason.