Alabama’s defense showcased impressive performance on Saturday.
While Mercer, an FCS team, was expected to struggle, it didn’t diminish Alabama’s dominance. The defense has been strong in the last three games, and if this continues, the Crimson Tide could pose a serious challenge in the playoffs, assuming they qualify.
Over the past three games, Alabama has given up only two touchdowns, both occurring late in games when outcomes were already decided. For the third time this season, they limited an opponent to under 100 rushing yards, with Mercer managing just 61. Linebacker Qua Russaw noted, “Everyone is doing their part. We still have many mistakes to address, but our aim is to dominate and emulate the traditional Alabama defense.”
In many respects, Alabama embodies its defensive legacy. With three turnovers against Mercer, they now have 24 for the season, achieving at least three takeaways in five consecutive games and six out of the last seven.
“That reflects our swarm defense mentality,” commented defensive back Domani Jackson. “We need to increase that number.”
The tone for the game was established early when Jackson stripped the ball from running back CJ Miller, leading to a recovery by Damon Payne Jr. Alabama capitalized quickly, scoring four plays later to take a 7-0 lead. Later in the first quarter, Russaw intercepted a pass deflected by linebacker Deonte Lawson, resulting in another turnover. In the second quarter, Zabien Brown returned a fumble 68 yards, marking the Tide’s first defensive score of the season.
Coach Kalen DeBoer emphasized the impact of these turnovers, stating, “Players are aware when they come up short on scoring opportunities, and that drives excitement for the whole team. They’ve been creating turnovers, but we hadn’t managed to convert one into a touchdown until now. I love their aggressive mindset; they are setting up our offense well to score.”
Alabama converted all three turnovers into points.
Third down efficiency has become a crucial aspect of the Crimson Tide defense. They held Missouri to just 3 of 13 on third downs, LSU to 6 of 14 the previous week, and Mercer only managed 1 of 9 on Saturday.
Jihaad Campbell stood out with the defense’s only sack on third down and recorded nine tackles, leading the team.
“He plays instinctively, executes effectively, and understands how our defense fits against the offenses he faces,” DeBoer remarked. “He trusts his teammates, doesn’t overextend himself, and is fully engaged. His confidence is evident in his ability to make plays.”
