The Area on Defense Where Bray Hubbard Sees Safeties 'Always' Fitting Somewhere

The Crimson Tide safety's focus continues to be on making the plays that need to be made.

Bray Hubbard (18) and DaShawn Jones. | Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— The reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Week doesn't think the secondary is ever hands-off when it comes to defending the run. Alabama safety Bray Hubbard sees run defense as a situation where those at his position have the opportunities to make plays.

"We've gotta show up and support," Hubbard said Thursday. "Y'all probably don't notice it much, but we see it all the time, is safeties are always gonna fit somewhere. You may not be in the primary fit, but you may be in a secondary fit."

Stopping the run isn't the primary objective of a safety. That doesn't mean they cannot factor into that aspect of a defensive scheme or play call. There's no rule that safeties have to drop into coverage every play no matter what, and on explosive running plays, they frequently end up being the last line of defense between the runner and an express route to the goal line.

"You have to come down and make sure that you're on your level of your fit, so that's something we gotta really lock into. Up front, they'll do their job. They usually always funnel it to us, and we gotta make the play."

The No. 14 Crimson Tide's defensive front has been playing shorthanded recently. The three games Alabama has contested so far this season have been without team captain Tim Keenan III, who had tightrope surgery for an ankle injury. The team hopes he'll be available for the Georgia game Sept. 27.

If he is, that will be a boost for the defensive unit as a whole, and certainly as it relates to rush defense. Alabama allowed 92 rushing yards last weekend in a game against Wisconsin where Hubbard had three solo tackles and two interceptions, and the Crimson Tide won 38-14.

The way Hubbard sees it, there's a way to approach the road matchup against the Bulldogs. The Crimson Tide has its first bye this weekend (as does Georgia), but after that, all bets are off. One of the most anticipated 2024 rematches of this year will be on.

"Preparation never changes. It's always the intense preparation, but I think the key is starting fast," he said. "That's what you have to do when you're on the road. You got crowd noise, you're in a hostile environment, whatever you wanna say. At the end of the day, it comes down to us starting fast," Hubbard said.