“He’s a Fantastic Back,” Kane Wommack Says Alabama Faces Tough Test with Missouri Run Game

One of the biggest criticisms for Alabama this season has been the Crimson Tide's inability to stop the run, and Alabama has been taken advantage of in the run a handful of times this season.

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In week one, Florida State ran the ball 49 times for 230 yards and four touchdowns. In Alabama's next game against an opponent with a pulse, Georgia ran the ball 33 times for 227 yards and two touchdowns, including 119 yards and a score from Chauncey Bowens. Against Vanderbilt, Alabama allowed two big runs from Sedrick Alexander (65-yard touchdown) and Diego Pavia (36-yard run). After those two runs, Alabama allowed just 35 yards on the ground, showing the improvements the Crimson Tide has made in run defense.

Vanderbilt presented a similar challenge Alabama will face on Saturday against Missouri: a good running game combined with a mobile quarterback. Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said there were a handful of areas where Alabama succeeded against Vanderbilt that they can use to succeed against Missouri.

"I think anytime you defend one-plus quarterback, option-style systems where the quarterback has a chance to run the ball, there's an element of discipline, right, that you have to play with across the board," Wommack said. "I think our guys took some of the mistakes from the first quarter and applied it to the last three quarters of the game from a run game standpoint. There were some schematic adjustments that we made that gave us a chance.

"We were a lot more disruptive in the run game as well. Those are some things that you want to create some overlap of the defense, and you want to let our guys go play really fast. I didn't think at the beginning of the Vanderbilt game as much as we stressed playing physical, playing fast, not playing on our heels, we still that first drive of the game - I did not think we were playing very aggressive. I did not think we were playing very fast. I told our coaches, in those situations, put the iPads down, take your headset off, and let's make sure we get our guys playing really fast and physical. That was - even Tim Keenan was an example of that. When you look at the run game, a lot of it is the physicality that you have to play with. That's one thing I want to make sure we keep on the forefront of our players' minds. We will make adjustments, we will have game plans going into each week, and what each opponent in the SEC gives us. But at the end of the day, the physicality and violence we were able to play with is the reason why we were able to knock out the run Saturday. That has to continue."

The Tide's run defense will face one of the best rushing attacks in the country when it takes on Missouri next Saturday. The Tigers' starting running back, Ahmad Hardy, has rushed for 100 yards or more in every game he's played this season. He's also rushed for at least one touchdown in every game he's played this season, totaling 730 yards (with an average of 7.1 yards per carry) and nine rushing touchdowns. The Tigers' rushing attack ranks No. 3 in the country. Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack called Ahmad Hardy 'fantastic' when asked about him on Monday.

“All the things I just said. I think he’s a fantastic back. I think he is very physical. I think he has great patience in the run game," Wommack said. "Does a really nice job of making either the first guy miss or breaking the tackle. And then when he’s out in space, he can create the explosive play, which ultimately, any great run team, when they’re committed to running the football, it’s like body blows in a boxing match, right? Those body blows continue to hit, and then all of a sudden you create explosive plays, and that’s what they’ve been able to do efficiently up to this point in the season.”

Alabama will face Hardy and the Missouri Tigers on Saturday, October 11, at 11:00 a.m. CT.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.