Alabama DC Kane Wommack discusses WKU QB TJ Finley, what he expects from the Crimson Tide in Week 1

about the excitement of game week being here in face of Western Kentucky and then we'll go ahead and take questions after that coach yeah um I uh excited to uh to finally be in game week obviously it's been a worldwin eight months um for our guys uh for for us as a coaching staff a lot to get done and and uh what eight months may sound like a long time but it's a it's a very short window to get all the things you need uh in order to get a football team prepared to go execute on on Saturday and so I think coach theor has done a really tremendous job just preparing our guys through all the situations um getting our guys prepared for uh all the things that they need to in order to to execute and maximize their opportunities um I think from a from a a workload standpoint our our strength staff our training staff has done a really tremendous job navigating our guys um getting them ready for fall camp and then getting them ready here for the season I think you know the the days leading up from the last scrimmage that we had whatever that was a week a little over a week ago to where we are right now um we've done a great job of managing their bodies and getting some of their legs back and all those things and still being physical and keeping the main thing the main thing at the same time and uh and so here we are a game week and and we've got a little bit of a jump on Western Kentucky than we would in our normal Monday which is really nice to kind of ease into uh to that first game and let our guys get a feel for how we run Scout teams um how we game plan um most of our offseason is spent on teaching the guys from a defensive perspective uh we teach them the the the defensive Concepts we never teach them exactly you know what their job is we talk about the the bigger concept of the defense this is how we play cover three this is how we play cover one now here's your role within the framework of the defense here's how teams are going to attack Us in these coverages the weaknesses the strengths Al those things then we talk about the situational application here's how cover three or this call is applied on third down versus the Red Zone versus two minute when they need a field goal and two minute when they need a touchdown those are two totally different scenarios and we apply our Concepts differently um but now uh the majority of time will be focused on offensive recognition and I think that's where uh we have done a great job over the years and getting our players uh to play defense with anticipation where defense is inherently reactionary um we're starting to get our guys to understand those formations those Concepts um that that will happen and downs to Downs where a guy can make a difference in the ball game and so our players are leaning into that really well we've got some very smart young men on defense some guys that have seen a lot of ball some guys that have not seen a lot of Collegiate football uh and I think our leaders are doing a really good job of kind of setting the tone of what those Scout periods are supposed to look like so it's a game weight we're ready to roll thank you coach start with left side Chase coach want to ask you about communication in the secondary malach more being a veteran in the middle of the field how much has he been able to lead the secondary in that respect and other than Malachi who are some of the best communicators back there that's a great question well when you have a guy like Malachi Moore you you really set the standard in terms of um you know the leadership um I think when you when you talk about leadership and being a person that it emulates what it's supposed to look like right leading by example um he is uh one of the hardest workers that I've ever seen in practice every single day uh whether it's a workout whether it's a walkr whether it's a practice he really has set sets the standard of what it's supposed to look like down in and down out play in and play out when he goes to the sideline he's constantly communicating with other guys on the defense about what we need to fix what we saw out there in real time you know him and Deontay Lawson think are truly special communicators that have had a lot of experience in this defense but when you add guys like Jihad Campbell who have not who have been here um but maybe have not had the rep base of experience like those guys I think he's done a tremendous job uh but particularly on the background uh on the back end I think Keon Sav has been phenomenal um his ability I mean I was so impressed even with week one uh when he got here and we started doing some little walkthroughs and meetings and all that kind offf St his retention of our defense and now he's starting to play with ant anticipation he's communicating at a high level and if you can keep up with Malachai more I think that's a pretty pretty great job there left side St left side Tony you've got kind of an interesting case with TJ Finley is this be his third time playing Alabama with his third school and then you also faced him at South last year does that affect the way you you Scout him and then having seen him before what does he offer as a quarterback yeah you know I mean obviously uh and uh a player has had experience right playing against the team right there's a certain level of comfort especially if you've been in the stadium or whatever that may be um but then you know when you fa the guy you've seen in real time how he responds uh to success how he responds to adversity um you know you quarterbacks are so much of of what progression uh does this quarterback go through what does his pre- snap routine what does his Cadence look like um and so getting to see some of those things in real time right um has uh you know certainly helps I would say probably helps on both sides in in some ways um but uh really impressed uh with him a year ago I thought you know he's got a really good release uh he can make all the throws um I thought he did a really good job of managing their offense really well um you know took what was given early but can work through a progression uh and so it'll be interesting to see how you know Tyson and their staff izes him maybe different than what GJ Kenny did or or the Auburn staff before that or whatever it may be right but but I think he's got a skill set that you can utilize in a number of different ways and then you know he's a big son of a gun you know and so uh he's a guy that can fall forward right and if he does you know he's going to go for three or four yards just getting downhill uh one of the things that we really lean into or what of their um you know uh Escape Styles you know he may have a very different Escape style than what we've seen from TY Simpson or jayen milro and those are things that we want to get our guys very clued into uh as we're getting ready to uh to match these guys up from the personel stand jump to the right side with Charlie what kind of progress you see from the cornerback group as a whole from ractice through now 21 or 20 and then is that a group that you can maybe Envision playing guys at yeah I think um I I think Maurice linis does a tremendous job um and he's done a tremendous job with those players you know you look at it uh whether they're guys that have experience in college football um but did not play here at Alabama or their young freshman um I I think everyone that in that room is trending in the right direction and that to me is a a great indicator of of tremendous coaching I think it's also a tremendous indicator of young men that have an opportunity and are trying to make the most of their opportunity and so you know when you got guys like deanii Jackson who have played um you know the game but he's learning a new defense right he's learning a new culture a new system a way of doing things right I think he has really taken to that I've seen great leaks from him DayDay desan Jones has really done a tremendous job in a short amount of time I I think from where he got when he got here to where he is right now just physically I think he's changed his body you often don't see that from older players but I think his body has changed and that's a credit to Dave Blue and our strength staff as well um those younger freshmen have been really impressive to me you know um when you look at guys that are you know all three of those uh young freshman DBS right should have still been in high school this spring and what was impressive to me is when they would make a mistake they would work to correct it and often would not make it again um I think each one of them have taken a a major step forward through the offseason uh through the summer time and into fall Camp uh so you're going to see a lot of them play uh and so I think it's something that's really exciting uh I've said this before uh experience is finite sometimes we're going to have to go through some of those um adversities right you're going to take your lumps every now and then as a young freshman but what I've been excited about is those guys have shown that when they do make a mistake that they can get it fixed moving forward and if they'll do that you know they'll continue to elevate their game throughout the season stay with on front right here yeah I believe uh was 22 that you face Western Kentucky at South Alabama I mean what's anything about their offense and the challenges there they do well I you know I've always been impressed with Tyson hon with Clay helon going against those guys you know they really kind of come from the um you know all of those guys Braum um you know Jeff ROM and the patrinos and um some of what they do schematically um I think is one of the better offensive systems in the country right now they do a really good job of attacking you vertically down the field but they take easy access throws as you give them in the passing game um they're creative in the Run game uh they're not afraid to to run their quarterback and and get in some of the one plus offensive game as well to to create you know extra matchups and and and extra numbers at the point of attack in the Run game um and then you know I I think you know they're creative guys I mean they they they're going to utilize Tempo to their advantage they do a really good job of of working formations um in and out of tempo a lot of different formations and nuances that maybe you haven't worked that you got to be able to fix in real time in a game um and then you know um you see all types of tricks you see all types of different shots and stuff like that I think you know they're aggressive play callers and I think you know something that's uh I've seen them over the years and it's really admirable right the way they go about things and it's um impressive how aggressive they are in C are so we'll have our work cut out for us this is uh you know you can say what you want about a group of five versus power or matchup whatever we are now but uh um you know this is a this is a very Dynamic offense and they will challenge us in a number way schematically so we're going have our work cut out for us stand on the right side Matt uh have you utilized Brian Ellis at all given his experience working with Tyson on that St you know we're going to I mean we're going to utilize all the ources of our of our program and personnel and people and experiences that they've had to to maximize our opportunity for game go to the left side Stephen he had to wait his time coach but what impressed you the most about Q Robinson as those wolf guys yeah I think uh you know Q um has been here a long time he's worked his tail off day in and day out he's a guy that has um you know has probably had the majority of his role on special um but when he's gone in uh he knows what to do um I think he has elevated his game from a production standpoint on defense I've seen some really good things from him in terms of of not just being a guy that knows his job but knows how to create uh in the back field and and create in some of the things that we're doing with him and and past defense as well and so I've been really impressed with him he's a great leader steady presence out there on the field and he works his tail off and so another one of those guys that's a great example bearer of what it's supposed to look like and he's not afraid to uh to have the um you know the uncomfortable conversations the challenging conversations with somebody that he sees that may not be holding the standard the way that he knows it's supposed to be done so that that cannot be undervalued uh with with especially a younger defense as we have here to the back row on the right Ryan coach a good question was asked to coach Sheridan about the Ste of kayin dor You' coached with him as well when gameweek comes around what can you tell about to the fans about what kind of Coach he is on gameweek how that leadership is helpful come Saturday well um you know I think one of the things that has always impressed me about kayin is um whether you're whether you're game planning or you're hanging out on a on a back porch in a pool right or you're you know in the fourth quarter in the middle of a big game he's the same guy and is a superpower it really is for him the way uh in which he is able to keep the main thing the main thing in midst all the noise um is something that I think has served him really well as a head coach and served him well as a coordinator and I think our players lean into that humble confidence that he shows in those moments um you don't take the Alabama job after coach Sabin if you have if you don't have a certain level of confidence about you but there's a a level of humility that he carries himself that I think think you know Greg burn made the perfect Tire um you know in in terms of of what cayin brings to the table for this team uh and carrying on the Legacy that you know that certainly coach San has said and then other greats before him as well and so um knowing that was a huge reason of why I wanted to come here um I loved my opportunity as as and loved my time at South Alabama and enjoyed being a head coach but I think some of those things right being in the foxo with him and seeing the confidence that he carries day in and day out was something that I wanted to be a part of his staff here as well so excited to go through the uh the Foxhole again with him we got three more questions left we'll start with K on the left side I know this time of year there's always excitement about it being the first game but when it's your first came at a new job whether it was when you were a head coach at South and now coordinator is there kind of like a different anticipation or nervousness or you get to a point in your coaching career where there's not really nerves um I think there's always nerves you know to a degree right you're always it's like uh it's like getting ready for a a big trip with a family of five right three boys what what did I forget what did I miss you know what I mean did I pack everything the right way um you know I think uh you're trying to go through those checklists make sure that you did all the right things and then it's game day it's exciting you know one of the fun things about college football is that you only get a a small amount of opportunities to show all the work that you've put in uh year round right so we we put all this work in we put all these man hours in all the time and energy sacrifices that we make away from our family for three and a half hours right of getting to show what what you know really what we have to show for ourselves and so uh from that perspective right it's exciting you know um it it will be something that our players are are chomping at the bit our coaches are ready to go uh but I would say you know I feel in my element as a coordinator um I loved you know my time as a head coach and I enjoyed that as well but this feels very familiar to me um something that I just enjoyed calling plays it's probably one of the things I missed uh the last three years is not getting to be the you know the play caller on game day and I I'm looking forward to doing that again finish Cannington in the front row kind of continuing the question about Q Robinson what have you seen from the entire wolf from from practice one to this point and what do you want to see out of them on Saturday well you know Christian Robins um I have known for a number of years he's worked in the system before he worked in my dad coach linebackers um uh alongside with him so he knows what the stard supposed to look like schematically in our defense and and and the versatility that that wolf position brings to our defense as well um I've been really impressed uh with that group as a room I think they all have versatile skill sets that we're going to be able to utilize in different ways schematically uh Personnel groupings that we have on the field right you may see mult of those guys at different times in the games um depending on the situation and so um their ability to do multiple things U from a mental standpoint uh and then from a physical standpoint will allow us to utilize them in a number of different ways and so I think Christian's done a really good job of of getting them prepared for that and I think those guys have really leaned into that process as well Emily Grace last question coach what are some qualities about your defense that you learned during B camp that you translate on Saturday yeah that's a good question I think um you know one of the things um that that we always look for is there's there is a um there is an energy that you have to play the game with from a defensive standpoint there's a certain level of juice there's a physicality that the game is supposed to be played with from a de defensive standpoint I think when you turn on the tape um and and really watching as a head coach last three years has only solidified that in my mind of how the game was supposed to be played defensively when you turn on the tape it is evident that those guys play at a fever pitch or they don't and uh we always want to be the team that when you turn on the tape right we are playing a swarm defense mentality football right uh 11 bodies that are responsible of stopping the offense where the runner pass they're playing with tremendous effort to finish that's 46 seconds from point A to point B with violent intentions when we get there right and that needs to show up on Saturday so those are the things that I think I've seen from them um they took it to another level I think in the springtime you're still learning this defense all the nuances are complicated and some of the things you're still thinking about uh but I saw them kind of kick some things into gear uh as we went through fall camp and and probably finished in that last scrimmage and probably as good of a place as you could ask for right now so but we got to go do it we're going to take some LS right those those things adversity is going to hit and they're going to happen um um but but how we respond to it and if we can keep the main thing the main thing we're just playing tremendous aggression I think we're going to be fine on defense here all right thank you coach thanks guys roll time