Vanderbilt Defense Faces Huge Test Against Alabama Offense

NASHVILLE – No. 16 Vanderbilt’s defense will have its biggest challenge yet on Saturday as it heads to No. 10 Alabama.

Not only is Tuscaloosa one of the most feared, difficult environments to play at, but Vanderbilt is matched up against an Alabama offensive unit that has plenty of talent and explosiveness. 

In addition to quarterback Ty Simpson, a Heisman Trophy candidate, the Crimson Tide also have a three-headed monster of receivers in Germie Bernard, Ryan Williams and Isaiah Horton that Vanderbilt is going to need to account for.

Coming off a game against a Utah State offense that builds its offense from the run game first, this week is almost an entirely new challenge. Alabama is 10th in the country in passing offense with 321 yards per game. That is partly due to new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb and it is partly because of the plethora of pass catchers the team has.

It is no secret that the margin for error for Vanderbilt’s defense is much smaller than any game it has played this season. One guy out of position and it could spell trouble for the Commodores. Vanderbilt linebacker Langston Patterson feels the biggest difference between last week and this week is the speed that Alabama plays with as well as getting off to a fast start defensively. 

“It’s gonna be all about starting fast. You're not going to get Ryan Williams out here running a post route on you. So it just can't surprise you when it gets to Saturday. Staying on top of routes like five yards, just because it’s a game that's going to come on you a little bit quicker,” Patterson said. “It's more just about the game speed and practice speed. That’s the biggest difference this week.”

What is also challenging this year compared to last year is the difference in the Alabama offense. Last season, the Crimson Tide offense was built off the running threat of quarterback Jalen Milroe. Now with a quarterback that is seemingly more comfortable in the pocket, Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea noted in Tuesday’s press conference that this offense is similar to Washington’s 2023 offense with quarterback Michael Penix that made it to the National Championship. Of course, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer and Grubb were the ones who were at the controls of the Washington offense that season.

Lea echoed Patterson’s comments on the speed of the Crimson Tide offense, but went further in depth as to how to defend the routes the receivers will be running.

“They're fast, so that dig line moves. Typically, you expect that dig line to be kind of 12 to 14 yards. This group is like 16 to 18 yards. They just eat up the space that fast,” Lea said. “Depth in zone coverage and making sure that we're occupying that line, trying to deny the throws into those windows.”

Lea knows how talented this Alabama offense is, so he knows shutting down just one of the receivers will not be enough. The Crimson Tide have perimeter threats in Williams and Horton and a slot threat in Bernard.

“You can't against this group, identify one player and say ‘we need to take that guy away.’ They just have too many weapons. So we need to play 11 connected. We need to be on the same page,” Lea said.

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