Will Alabama Have a Better Pass Rush This Season? Just a Minute

Welcome to BamaCentral’s "Just a Minute," a video series featuring Alabama Crimson Tide on SI's beat writers. Multiple times per week, the writers will group up or film solo to provide their take on a topic concerning the Crimson Tide or the landscape of college sports.

Watch the above video as Alabama Crimson Tide on SI assistant editor and football writer Katie Windham discusses whether Alabama will have a better pass rush in 2026 than it did in the first two seasons under Kalen DeBoer and Kane Wommack.

One of the biggest critiques of the Alabama defense over the last two seasons under defensive coordinator Kane Wommack's is the Crimson Tide's pass rush, or lack thereof. Alabama finished 64th in the nation with 25 sacks in 2024. That number improved to 33 sacks in 2025, but the Tide also played two more games than it had the previous season.

Improving the pass rush and sack numbers was a major point of emphasis for the Tide during fall camp last season, but it didn't quite produce the desired result. Alabama did a better job at getting to the quarterback but still had trouble finishing the play wtih a sack. LT Overton set a lofty goal of getting double-digit sacks during his final season, and while he did miss two games with illness, Overton finished the 2025 season with just four sacks. Yhonzae Pierre ended up leading the team with eight sacks last season.

Pierre had the opportunity to enter his name in the 2026 NFL Draft and instead opted to come back for his fourth year. If he has a big year, he will be in a strong position to be a first-round draft pick in the 2027 draft. He will need a big year if Alabama is going to improve its pass rush as a team.

Of Alabama's top six sack-getters last season, Pierre is the only player returning. The Crimson Tide will be counting on new faces like USC transfer Devan Thompkins or South Carolina transfer Desmond Umeozulu to produce sacks. There are also young returners like London Simmons or Justin Hill that can have breakout seasons. Alabama also sometimes utilizes packages that bring pressure from the secondary with Bray Hubbard and Keon Sabb both recording sacks last season.

Overall, I predict that Alabama will increase its sack total in 2026.

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