Did Florida State surprise the Alabama defense with any plays?

Alabama football’s defense was gutted by Gus Malzahn and his offensive attack Saturday in the Crimson Tide’s 31-17 loss to Florida State.

The Tide were clearly playing on their heels throughout the game and looked unsure about what was coming next. However, Alabama football’s defensive coordinator Kane Wommack felt this was not the case.

“We were not surprised by anything,” Wommack said on Monday. “We were prepared for a number of things that they were doing, including some of the trick plays and a number of their run game things. We did not play to the level that we are capable of as a defense. And so we’ve got to own that as a coaching staff, we’ve got to own that as players, which I think we are. But I have great confidence in our guys that they will get that corrected and quickly.”

The lack of physicality the Tide showed on defense was another low light from Saturday for Alabama. Wommack admitted the Tide were on their heels at times when he addressed the lack of ‘violence’ Alabama players finished with on Saturday.

“One of our keys to victory was that when you’re playing a team that moves laterally in the one plus quarterback system, there has to be elements of being patient to let the ball declare, but once the ball declares, one of our keys to victory was to finish with violence and aggressiveness on the ball,” Wommack said. “And I thought we let some of the things that they did put us on our heels, and we didn’t respond well enough when adversity hit. And so those things, you can tell them sometimes you have to be shown. And I think once our players were shown, I think they’re ready to respond.”