How Kevin Steele Returned the Alabama Defense to the Saban Standard in Short Time
LOS ANGELES — The Alabama Crimson Tide has had quite the journey as a team.
After an early defeat, many counted Alabama out. After the Week 2 loss to Texas that saw poor quarterback play from Jalen Milroe and a secondary torched by Quinn Ewers, it seemed hard to find a route for the Crimson Tide to return to the CFP.
Since the brutal USF game, the Alabama offense has taken strides weekly, becoming one of the best offensive units in the country.
But it took time.
This team would not have been able to run the table without weekly, dominant efforts from the defense. While the offense needed the time to grow, a sturdy defense enabled it to do so, led by the great work of defensive coordinator Kevin Steele.
Believe it or not, the Crimson Tide could have lost that game in Tampa if not for an impressive defensive effort. The following week, Alabama held Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss to just 10 points — the Rebels averaged 34.8 points per game this season.
In College Station, the Crimson Tide surrendered just three points in the second half, giving the offense time to make enough key plays down the stretch. Trailing 20-7 to Tennessee at halftime, Alabama didn't give up another point in the final two quarters.
Time and time again, the Crimson Tide's defense has created a safety net, allowing Milroe and Tommy Rees time to develop offensively.
Over the last few years under Pete Golding, the defense seemed to crack in untimely situations. The opposite has been true in 2023-24 under Steele. And anyone that watches the individuals and how they compete every play notices a difference, too.
"It's a great aspect to have a guy like Kevin Steele, who has been around the game for a long time," cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry said. "I feel like as a defense, we can trust and believe in everything that he [says] to us."
"When Coach Steele talks to us, he talks to us and just lets us know how we should be as a team, how we should play as a defense, how fast and how physical we should play. And just seeing the energy that he brings just makes us want to play and makes us want to do the things he's saying we should do and how we should do it."
When Steele arrived, there weren't too many players in place. But over the course of spring practice and fall camp, unknown players became stars and leaders.
"It goes back to spring practice," Steele said. "Obviously, we had some guys out [with injury] in spring practice — key players — [and] fall camp also. So repetition in terms of that in the early part of the season and the matriculation of reps on the grass, playing together. I think the development of the front, the defensive line, through that growth process, has been a huge jump."
"Deontae [Lawson] was really the only linebacker with reps for us. We had to get a lot of reps to Trezmen Marshall and Jihaad Campbell, who had not played linebacker at Alabama. Getting that in-sync, in actual game speed, is probably where it came."
There are no days off for Steele, who is insistent on holding the players accountable.
"He's always gonna stay on us, he's never gonna let us be below the standard," defensive back Malachi Moore said. "He's always gonna hold us to that 'Bama standard. I think that's one thing I love the most — him just coming in and bringing the 'Bama standard back. Just making sure everybody knows how important it is to do stuff the way that we do stuff and that it works, we just all have to trust the process."
"His level of energy that he brings to the meeting room, on game days, to practice — it's just great to have that coach that's always going to push you to your limits."
There is no doubt about the ability of talent coming into Tuscaloosa each year. Mixing that with a fiery coaching staff that wants the best for its players?
That's a dangerous combination.
