Why Alabama football is making strides at defending the run

Alabama football’s defense has given up 415 yards on the ground to opposing offenses through three games.

The Crimson Tide are preparing to enter SEC play, and Alabama is set to square off against some top rushing attacks over the next few months.

A bulk of the yards the Tide has given up this season were against Florida State in a loss to open the season. Alabama fared better against ULM and Wisconsin, which both had less potent rushing attacks. However, there were some positive takeaways from those performances.

Alabama’s defense has been flying all over the field in recent weeks and players on the Tide’s front line, on their second level and in their secondary have been making plays against the run. The Tide’s linebacker, Qua Russaw commended his teammates’ efforts against the misdirection and run as of late after Alabama defeated the Badgers.

“Just guys not overrunning, like over pursuing to the ball, just staying home, doing their job,” Russaw said. “Past games, we had guys trying to make plays that wasn’t for them, and I feel like this week, guys just stayed at home, stayed where they were supposed to be.”

Bray Hubbard was a standout against Wisconsin while defending the run as a safety for Alabama. He feels it is important the Tide’s secondary play their run fits correctly.

“Safeties are always in a fit somewhere,” Hubbard told reporters. “You may not be in the primary fit, but you may be in a secondary fit. You have to come down and make sure that you’re on your level of your fit. That’s something we got to really lock into. Up front, they’ll do their job… we got to make the play.”

Alabama’s run defense will be tested immediately after the Tide’s BYE week when they have to travel to Athens to take on the Georgia Bulldogs.