The Alabama and Vanderbilt linebacker groups will be a key factor in determining the outcome of Saturday’s game, as they are both filled with immense talent.
The Crimson Tide linebacker room relies on depth from the transfer portal and veteran leadership to overcome key injuries to starters this season.
Alabama will be short-handed Saturday and for a good part of the season, as two linebackers are injured. Jah-Marien Latham is out for the season from a neck injury and Qua Russaw will be out for an unknown amount of time with a broken ankle.
Russaw does not always show up on the stat sheet, but his impact on the pass rush does not go unnoticed. The sophomore has recorded one sack this season and is a key part of the defense.
Latham provided a veteran presence on the defense and his leadership will be missed. He was in his fifth season of college football and was important as a depth piece for the team.
The Crimson Tide has multiple veteran leaders on the team this season that will help on the defensive front.
“I think at linebacker, I don’t want to say it’s a pleasant surprise, but we weren’t expecting to have Deontae Lawson,” DeBoer said. “Unfortunately, he had an injury, but he is back and that turned leadership in that spot. And with Justin Jefferson coming back through the junior college rule and things like that allowed him to have a year that we weren’t expecting.”
Jefferson is in his third season at Alabama, due to the extra year of eligibility granted to former junior college players. He is considered the leader of the linebacker room, alongside Lawson. Jefferson is a well-rounded player and impacts the rush and pass defense overall.
Lawson is a fifth-year senior after redshirting in his first season. He is a key part to the Alabama pass rush, totaling five sacks this season.
Transfer linebacker Nikhai-Hill Green from Colorado is a fifth-year senior in his first year with Alabama. He is a key piece in the passing game and is used situationally. Last season, he had two interceptions at Colorado along with two sacks.
Vanderbilt’s linebacker room is full of homegrown talent, a key veteran leader and a transfer player, similar to Alabama.
Starting Linebacker and Nashville native Bryan Longwell chose to stay home over offers from schools includingAuburn and Colorado. He was ranked as a three-star prospect out of high school and has developed into a starter and talented linebacker for the Vanderbilt defense. He is mostly used in the pass defense and has recorded two pass breakups and one interception so far this season.
Senior Langston Patterson is the veteran leader on the Vanderbilt defense. The team captain has spent all four seasons at Vanderbilt. Last season, he recorded seven tackles against Alabama and is confident heading into the game this season.
“If you’re a competitor and you play sports, like, you’re going down there to dominate,” Patterson said. “You’re going out there to give it your all no matter what.”
Prince Kollie, a 2023 transfer from Notre Dame, is in his second full season with the team. He redshirted his first season at Vanderbilt and is now a senior with one year of eligibility remaining. He has recorded eight tackles this season and is a name to look out for in the pass rush for Vanderbilt.
Vanderbilt currently has no key injuries in the linebacker room and is mostly healthy on defense overall. It will be at full strength against Alabama, meaning the Alabama offense faces a tough challenge and will need to plan accordingly.
The Crimson Tide will rely on depth, coaching and veteran leadership to have a better performance defensively against Vanderbilt.
