How Alabama defensive staff is preparing for an unpredictable Florida State offense

Week one is arguably one of the most difficult weeks when it comes to preparing for an opponent since it’s the beginning of a season, but there is some familiarity between Alabama’s defensive coordinator Kane Wommack and new Florida State offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn.

Wommack spoke to the media after day three of fall camp and was asked about preparing for the Florida State offense coached by Malzahn.

“When you are preparing for an offensive coordinator that just took over a job, maybe a new quarterback, some new personnel things, you try to gather a whole picture,” Wommack said. “What did the quarterback do at his previous institution, right? And how was he used under this staff or that staff. I’ve known Gus since I was in the eighth grade. I played for him. The evolution of his offense and the things he’s done, you know, what might he do based off this personnel? When you’re looking at all of those things, you’re trying to kind of gauge what you anticipate they’re going to be, and then at the same time, you know that you’ve got to have answers if they go down this pathway or that pathway. So naturally, you’re going to carry a pretty heavy catalog and defense going into a game.”

From a football standpoint, Wommack knows Malzahn from playing against a Malzahn-led high school football team before playing for him in college at Arkansas, but he first knew him because his father and Malzahn had a tight connection.

“I was at Fayetteville High School, and Gus was the head coach at Springdale High School. So, you had Fayetteville Purple Dogs and Springdale Red Dogs. We went up against each other, but my dad and Gus have been really close for years, so I knew him through that connection. And then, he coached me, he was our offensive coordinator at Arkansas my sophomore year.”

Wommack explained what sets Malzahn apart from other coaches.

“Gus is relentless in the details,” Wommack said. “He does a really great job constantly holding people accountable in the details. He had great teams at Springdale High School when he coached back then. I just remember how discipline those football teams were and how hard they were to beat because I really think those players took on and embodied the personality of their head coach. And if you look at his career, that’s a point that you can continue to acknowledge the discipline his guys play with and the physicality they play with and then, simply the tempo the play with.”

Malzahn is a coach who has beaten the Crimson Tide on multiple occasions during his tenure as Auburn’s head coach and looks to bring the magic at Florida State. Alabama will play the Seminoles on Aug. 30 in Tallahassee.