Nick Saban is pushing for something Alabama fans want from its defensive line.
The linebacker position (inside and outside) accounted for 38 of the Crimson Tide’s 57 sacks in 2021, including 26 combined via Will Anderson and Dallas Turner. Coach Saban knows the Tide has great outside linebackers, but he wants to see an inside push to the pocket from defensive linemen to prevent quarterbacks from making throws. Christian Barmore, an Alabama alum, is the most recent force Saban had at nose tackle. He had a team-high eight sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss, and six quarterback hurries in Alabama’s College Football Playoff Championship team in 2020.