Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack made it clear this week that middle linebacker Deontae Lawson remains the heartbeat of his unit in both production and leadership.
“Deontae is…it’s amazing. I mean, I thought, you know, he carried himself at such a professional level a year ago…and somehow he’s taken his game and leadership to another level,” Wommack said. Despite coming off injury, Lawson hasn't eased his way back. “We thought, you know, maybe we would limit some of his loads and all that. We’ve really pushed him, and he’s handled it really well.”
Lawson also spoke to the media and updated the status of his recovery from a torn ACL suffered in Alabama’s loss to Oklahoma last November. “I’m just happy to be running around with the guys again, really not thinking too much. I feel, just being able to do it is making me feel good,” he said.
Improving ball security and creating turnovers has been an offseason priority. “It was an emphasis coming out of last season that we had to do a better job as a team taking care of the football and creating takeaways,” Wommack said, noting the defense has been tested against a careful offense in camp.
The competition at strongside linebacker, affectionately known as the Wolf position for the Tide is fierce. “They’re all competing against each other, but they also have a great camaraderie…kind of a three or four musketeers, right? You know, all for one kind of deal,” he said, crediting position coach Coleman Hutzler for the room’s chemistry.
Wommack added that several younger players are making unexpected pushes for playing time. “It’s nice to see some guys that you thought might be a little ways away that might have a role for us at some point during the season,”
Quarterback Ty Simpson’s camp performance has also caught Wommack’s attention. “Takes care of the football, make good decisions, make plays when it matters…that’s to me the element of a quarterback,” he said.
Bednarik Award ▶️ Defensive Player of the Year @Deontae_0
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) August 11, 2025
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One of the defense’s standouts, cornerback Xavier Brown, has impressed with his maturity. “That dude in my mind will play this game for a long time,” Wommack said.
With roster limits tightening, Wommack values flexibility: “Position versatility is critical and it always has been…we believe in putting athletes on the field that can make space tackles.”
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