| NEWS Kevin Steele: Here's what he's infusing into Alabama football defense - Tuscaloosa Magazine

[Bama News]

'Going to be a tough defense': Kevin Steele stressing discipline to Alabama football

Kevin Steele took over as Alabama football's defensive coordinator this offseason, and he's making discipline and fundamentals the foundation.

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Alabama football linebacker Deontae Lawson couldn't help but smile when discussing the subject of toughness.

He was asked Friday in a news conference about what kind of toughness new defensive coordinator Kevin Steele is emphasizing; that's when Lawson grinned. And he kept smiling as he answered the question.

"The way he coaches, the way he goes about the little things, you can just tell it’s going to be a tough defense," Lawson said. "We want to force turnovers."

The defensive system will not be changing under Steele, as is the case with every defensive coordinator Saban hires. Still, it's up to each coordinator to stress different elements to give each defense an identity.

According to his players, Steele seems to be emphasizing fundamentals, fundamentals and fundamentals. Also, playing with discipline, which can be translated to minimizing penalties. And last but not least: Take the ball away from the other team.

"Really just, the ball, generating more turnovers, which will lead to points," Lawson said. "Really the same things, but the little things. It’s all about the little things. That’s what we’re trying to work on."

Steele returned to Alabama football for his third time with Saban this offseason, taking over the defense from Pete Golding who went to Ole Miss for the same role. Steele has been in the business for 39 years, with 13 in the SEC and 10 as a defensive coordinator.

He was Saban's first defensive coordinator at Alabama in 2007 and served as an assistant in 2008 before returning to work as director of player personnel (2013) and linebackers coach (2014).

Now he's back after almost a decade away, and who better to instill qualities from the Alabama defenses of old than Steele?

"The best thing is Coach Steele has been here before," defensive end Justin Eboigbe said. "So it’s a guy who has been there, knows how Coach Saban likes things, knows the ins and outs of things. I think the best thing is to have someone who has already been in the system."

Steele understands Saban better than most, having known him since the 1980s. So he knows not only what Saban likes but also what irks him.

Penalties rank high on that list. Especially ones that stem from easily fixable errors. Those were a problem too frequently for the Crimson Tide this past season; Alabama was the ninth-most flagged team in the country in 2022.

"Really, penalties is the main thing we’ve been focusing on," Lawson said. "Making sure everybody is doing their job and no mental errors. That’ll lead to points."

Eliminating mental errors is the first step, but playing sound football also will help minimize flags.

"The biggest thing he has been instilling is knowing the fundamentals," Eboigbe said. "Just preaching about doing it to the best of your ability."

 

[mando]

Still mind numbing that this does not appear to be the norm for the past several years. This is football 101, how did Bama under Saban regardless of the coordinator stray away from this? Good to hear but still perplixing.

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

Still mind numbing that this {penalties} does not appear to be the norm for the past several years. This is football 101, how did Bama under Saban regardless of the coordinator stray away from this? Good to hear but still perplixing.

I agree 100%. There is no good way to paint this. Discipline, thereby lack of penalties used to be CNS trademark. And I cannot put my finger on any reasoning why this happened. I truly hope CNS has gotten fire back in his belly to get this corrected.

 

[musso]

Still mind numbing that this does not appear to be the norm for the past several years. This is football 101, how did Bama under Saban regardless of the coordinator stray away from this? Good to hear but still perplixing.

I suspect it was due to:

1. Inevitable decline after the unprecedent talent we had accumulated. Look at how many defensive players we put in the NFL. Historic success cannot be sustained, regardless of who our coach is. Too many Saban assistants getting jobs elsewhere has to take a toll on recruiting.

2. The type of offense we switched to. Our D changed after 2nd & 26. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think our scoring D took a noticeable drop after Tua became our starter and has since never returned to a top 5 or 10 scoring D.

3. I don't ever recall teams with explosive offenses, say a national top-15 or so offense, also having a top D. There is just something about when your identity becomes a high scoring team, your defensive mentality weakens. It just seems inevitable. The closest exceptions I can think of is FSU and Miami in the 90s. Stoops and Spurrier made UF a top offense and defense too, if I recall. But that was a different era.

4. And much has been made of this, but the rules favor the offense now. I don't know enough to understand how Georgia has been able to remain elite on defense in this offensive era. It's truly remarkable, and if anyone knows, please do tell. It's got to be due to more than Kirby's profanity laced locker room talks to his team.

 

[TerryP]

has since never returned to a top 5 or 10 scoring D.

Top 10 last season. I'd have to look to be sure: thinking '21 was the worst at around 20 per game. There's probably a two point difference that season in #20 and #10.

 

[musso]

Good point. I suppose my main point is that Saban's D has two eras: before-2nd-and-26, and after-2nd-and-26. Not that we've been "bad" on D, but just not "elite" like our D always was under Saban. And in particular, in critical moments like 3rd and longs, in critical drives before halftime, etc. At least that's my lasting impression.

 

[musso]

And maybe to be fairer, ever since we became more explosive, utilizing up tempo and such, we would end up allowing more yardage and points in the 2nd half after the game was out of hand. Is this more of it???

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

I suspect it was due to:

1. Inevitable decline after the unprecedent talent we had accumulated. Look at how many defensive players we put in the NFL. Historic success cannot be sustained, regardless of who our coach is. Too many Saban assistants getting jobs elsewhere has to take a toll on recruiting.

2. The type of offense we switched to. Our D changed after 2nd & 26. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think our scoring D took a noticeable drop after Tua became our starter and has since never returned to a top 5 or 10 scoring D.

3. I don't ever recall teams with explosive offenses, say a national top-15 or so offense, also having a top D. There is just something about when your identity becomes a high scoring team, your defensive mentality weakens. It just seems inevitable. The closest exceptions I can think of is FSU and Miami in the 90s. Stoops and Spurrier made UF a top offense and defense too, if I recall. But that was a different era.

4. And much has been made of this, but the rules favor the offense now. I don't know enough to understand how Georgia has been able to remain elite on defense in this offensive era. It's truly remarkable, and if anyone knows, please do tell. It's got to be due to more than Kirby's profanity laced locker room talks to his team.

I agree with everything you said with some clarifcations:

1st. Penalties... that's about discipline despite who is recruited. It's gotten worse & pray we see a big difference this year.

2nd. Before Kirby left, he started this process of a substitution frenzy on defense. I forget what game it was but his last season as D-Coordinator we had 19 guys on defense standing inside the 20 during the TV break. When the break ended & the opposing offense came on the field then 8 of our defenders came off the field when they got a look at the offense. That was brilliant because it didn't leave the exhisting D gased on the field before the play. This adds up to the big fellas. It has been well documented/commented on this board that CNS doesn't like changing out his defense. Kirby does this all the time 1, 2, & 3's always getting playing time. So guys are staying fresh & Depth is being developed. Nobody has done that since even though we've recruited well enough to fil the spots we have sucked at developing the 2's & 3's. That's the difference.

3rd. Greg McElroy commented during the off season how the style of offense that we could run with Bryce Young (with the RPO) pretty much eliminated the hard nose, down hill, bad-ass blocking of the OL because RPO can displace the OL too far down field (for a penalty) if they overpursue/block. As a result, the physicality of the game was diminished because our offense couldn't practice it & therefore the defense didn't get hardened by it as such, the team's overall physicality was affected. The physicality of a team is all about practice & IF the offense isn't playing a hardened physical style... well the team will get soft, especially after only being exposed to a certain style of offense all through camp. It's inevitable.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

One thing, which the article touches on, is that Steele is a better teacher, communicator, and a stickler for fundamental and sound play. He also holds his defensive assistants more accountable compared to Golding. Beyond that, he’s willing to speak up against Saban when few others are. Not to be overlooked though, he’s also implemented a simpler system for defensive calls, which should prove to be very helpful against the go fast teams.

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

One thing, which the article touches on, is that Steele is a better teacher, communicator, and a stickler for fundamental and sound play. He also holds his defensive assistants more accountable compared to Golding. Beyond that, he’s willing to speak up against Saban when few others are. Not to be overlooked though, he’s also implemented a simpler system for defensive calls, which should prove to be very helpful against the go fast teams.

Good. The 1's on defense should be able to grasp things fairly quickly then & help teach, as they should. That way the 2's & 3's are being taught more about scheme thus developing more depth.

I truly think there was a clear drop off from 1's to 2's etc which was Goldings underbelly, like most.

 

[mando]

The undisciplined stuff is what has been bad. Also the physicality at the point of attack. Just looking for that to improve. Now when they do that but we do not see the exposive plays from the past few years I am sure we will complain about that also . As fans we gotta complain about something .

 

[TerryP]

Now when they do that but we do not see the exposive plays from the past few years

On that same note they'll see more man coverage with this year's running game.

 

[mando]

On that same note they'll see more man coverage with this year's running game.

Opportunity - play action.... Of course you have to complete the passes to make it matter.

 

[musso]

I don't know why exactly, but I'm more excited about this season than any season in a long time. And yet my expectations are the lowest it's been since before Saban's first Bama natty. Any armchair psychologist out there able to elaborate lol???

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

I don't know why exactly, but I'm more excited about this season than any season in a long time. And yet my expectations are the lowest it's been since before Saban's first Bama natty. Any armchair psychologist out there able to elaborate lol???

You anticipate this team facing a lot of adversity on the field, with the likely possibility of them losing multiple games. Deep down that excites you, because your satisfaction is derived from wallowing in the shortcomings and negativity of the very thing you love, Alabama football.

 

[musso]

Damn. Ask and you shall receive! That was awesome lol.

 

[TerryP]

Any armchair psychologist out there able to elaborate lol???

It's the unknown. And, with that in mind think about the tone of the forum(s) ... how everyone has an opinion ...

There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception. ...

 

[mando]

I am excited when bama dominates and gives the other team no hope... Anything less is not much fun .

 

[alabama mike]

I hope to see a much more aggressive defense this year.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

I hope to see a much more aggressive defense this year.

A more fundamentally sound, confident, and physical defense will translate to a more aggressive one. Still though, the degree of success ultimately depends on how well the DL performs.