MOBILE, AL - OCTOBER 17: South Alabama Jaguars head coach Kane Wommack looks on as his offense works in the third quarter during a college football game between the Southern Miss Golden Eagles and the South Alabama Jaguars on October 17, 2023, at Hancock-Whitney Stadium, Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

New Alabama football defensive coordinator Kane Wommack is determined to prevent slow starts for the Crimson Tide this season.

Reflecting on the spring game, Wommack felt the team did not perform well early on and is now challenging his defense to avoid similar issues in the future.

“We’ve really encouraged our guys to play aggressively from the start, not on their heels, and to trust their instincts,” Wommack said Thursday after practice. “I think we’re beginning to see that shift.”

Wommack takes over a defense that has lost many key starters from 2023, including Justin Eboigbe, Dallas Turner, Chris Braswell, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Terrion Arnold, Caleb Downs, and Jaylen Key.

With numerous new players stepping into defensive roles, Wommack will also introduce a revamped defensive scheme. This includes new positions such as Wolf and Bandit, along with updated approaches like vision coverage.

“People often misunderstand vision coverage, thinking it’s all about covering space, but what we’re actually doing is eliminating the areas and targets the quarterback wants to hit,” Wommack explained. “Our players are naturally starting to adjust their coverage to match the vision style we use, and they’re developing a better understanding of our defensive scheme.”