Pete Golding Working to Get Defense Back to Alabama Standard

"In order to be number one in the country, which is the standard here at Alabama, it’s why I took the job, it's going to be holding people to 13 points or less, and that's still our goal."

As Nick Saban enters his 15th season at Alabama, he will be assisted by his eighth different offensive coordinator as Bill O’Brien takes over the position for the 2021 season. That means on average, Saban has had to replace the offensive coordinator every 1.875 seasons at Alabama.

On the other side of the ball, it’s a different story. There have been half the number of defensive coordinators (four) under Saban than offensive coordinators (eight). Entering his fourth year on staff and third season in the position of defensive coordinator is Pete Golding.

“We’re excited about the talent we have back, the experience from last year, but nothing changes,” Golding said. “Defense is based on execution. We have to do a better job up front, at the second level at ’backer of stopping the run. A lot of that from a misdirection standpoint of getting those fits clean, and then the one importance we’re putting on tackling.”

Golding heads up a defense that brings back nine starters from the Crimson Tide’s 2020 championship team. One of those returning starters is junior linebacker Christian Harris. In addition to being the defensive coordinator, Golding also works with the inside linebackers as their position coach.

With all the turnover that can occur on a Saban staff, including for example five new assistant coaches in 2021, Harris said it has been great to have Golding working with his position group for all three years he has been at Alabama.

“Coach Golding’s a guy that I really got close with during recruiting throughout my high school process and of course my freshman year,” Harris said. “My years being here he’s done a really great job with our team building a relationship with the players on and off the field. So, I think he's done a really great job.”

Last season, the Alabama defense gave up 19.4 points per game, the highest scoring defensive average since Saban’s first season in 2007. But the offense scored 48.5 PPG, which was the highest of the Saban era. Because the offense could score at such a rapid pace, the defense had more wiggle room to give up points and obviously still went on to have an undefeated season capped with a national championship.

So is Golding happy with that type of defense as long as Alabama still wins? Yes, he is happy with the win, but no, he is not pleased with the scoring defense. 

"That's the number one thing, what do we have to do to win the game?" Golding said. "Now, the next most important thing to me from a defensive standpoint, is to not allow points. If we score more points than them, we're gonna win the what? The game. That goes back to the number one piece.

"So the point piece of this hasn't changed to me. If you go back and look over the last five years, in order to be number one in the country, which is the standard here at Alabama, it’s why I took the job, it's going to be holding people to 13 points or less, and that's still our goal. I don't care if they’re throwing it 70 times, or they're running it 70 times. It doesn't matter. We got to find a way to keep them out of the end zone."

The Alabama defense has allowed 13 PPG or less in six seasons under Saban and led the nation in scoring defense in 2011, 2012, 2016 and 2017. The Crimson Tide won the national championship in three of those four seasons.

Golding has the talent and experience in place this season to return Alabama to being one of the best teams in the country at keeping opponents out of the end zone, and it starts with the leadership of returning players like junior defensive back Jordan Battle.

"We’re all leading, the older guys," Battle said. "The younger guys are listening to us. They’re falling in place. They’re doing everything we’re telling them to do, and we’re building that team that we all want.”

The defensive coach knows that depth and experience won't matter if the team does not put the work in during these last few days of fall camp leading up to the season.

"We have plenty of talent," Golding said. "I think it'll be the most depth that we’ve had – we’ve got to continue to develop that. But that daily focus and that mindset of proper planning prevents poor performance, and I’m going to get out what I put in, I think that’s the biggest thing right now. Last year they did a great job, they got better. But it’s over. We’ve got to move on. We’ve got enough talent, but we’ve got to put the work in."

The defense will be tested early as Alabama opens up against No. 14 Miami, who is led by an experienced quarterback in D'Eriq King. Also within the first five weeks of the season, the Crimson Tide will face the two teams, Ole Miss and Florida, that scored more than 45 points against them in 2020. 

Golding enters his third season as coordinator fresh off a national championship and with his most experienced and possibly most talented group of players yet. Will that translate into defensive success in 2021? We will see in less than two weeks.