“It takes a lot of ease off our backs,” Alabama safety Landon Collins said. “We don’t have to cover for so long. We get them in third-and-long or second-and-long, and they have to pass the ball.”
The Crimson Tide is currently averaging almost three sacks a game, and 10 different players have registered at least one sack this year. Senior linebacker Xzavier Dickson leads the team with five and a half sacks, while sophomore linebacker Ryan Anderson has registered three. The team had six sacks this past weekend against Texas A&M.
“Our defensive line did a good job in the game,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “There was a lot of pass rush and a lot of run. I think we need to improve and continue to build on all the positive energy we have so we can play better in this game.”
The team has also already registered 47 tackles for loss. Dickson leads the team in that category with eight. Jonathan Allen is second on the team with 6.5 tackles for loss.
“The pass rush is more explosive off the ball, and everybody is doing their job,” linebacker Reggie Ragland said. “It’s the will to want to. Everybody is willing and wanting to.”
