Mississippi State running back Josh Robinson has been described as a human bowling ball. He has the ability to break tackles, seemingly knocking defenders over like pins. Against Kentucky, he made the Wildcat defenders look insignificant even as they towered over him, brushing them off en route to 198 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
He came into Bryant-Denny Stadium with 11 rushing touchdowns, and he left with 11 rushing touchdowns. His visits to the end zone continued, but Alabama’s defense made sure it was for two instead of six.
Bryant-Denny Stadium was louder than usual, due in part to a new playlist including rap and hip-hop songs like “We Dem Boyz” and “No Flex Zone.” The defense especially responded, playing with more emotion.
“Really, it’s the D-line,” senior safety Nick Perry said. “The front seven, those are monsters. And when they’re hyped and they’re jumping up and down and when they’re putting pressure on the quarterback, it makes our job a lot easier. So whatever can get those guys hyped like that, whatever song they’re playing, they need to continue that.”
Alabama’s defense has allowed two rushing touchdowns all season. The last rushing touchdown came at Arkansas. Four teams since then have tried. Four teams have failed.
“Not really. Didn’t think about that,” sophomore defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson said. “We just want to stop everyone from running the ball. They want to run the ball and try to impose their will, so we try to stop their will.”
Mississippi State came close to pounding the ball in to score, but goal-line stands and false starts put the ball in the air for the secondary to cover.
The Crimson Tide’s run defense ranks third in the nation, allowing just under 95 yards per game. Its two rushing touchdowns allowed is the least by any team by a margin of three. Alabama’s scoring defense comes in at No. 2, second to Ole Miss.
The defense has blended experience with raw talent. The line showcases a mix of experience ranging from sophomores to juniors. The linebackers feature upperclassmen. Sophomore defensive end Jonathan Allen has 26 total tackles. He has 8.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. He also has a blocked extra point from the Arkansas game, Alabama’s second blocked extra point in a row.
After playing last year as a freshman, Allen’s been a starter in nickel, which Alabama coach Nick Saban said is what the team plays more than just about anything else.
“He’s been very productive, very instinctive, really good person, really bright guy,” Saban said. “Has a lot of pride in how he goes about whatever he does personally, academically or athletically. When you have good players who have the kind of character that he has, that’s what makes it really fun to coach. I would give him an A in all areas, personal, academic and athletic.”
Junior linebacker Reggie Ragland leads the team in tackles with 79. Senior linebacker Trey DePriest has 59 total tackles. DePriest has broken up two passes and defended two more. He also recorded Alabama’s first safety of the season Saturday after bringing down Josh Robinson in the end zone.
It helps to have ready bodies to fill in on the line.
“When you get tired, you know your brother is going to come in and do the same job you did, so it’s really just do what you’re supposed to do until you get tired and let your brother come in and do what he’s supposed to do,” A’Shawn Robinson said.
The defense has consistently been at the top of national rankings. Recently the rush defense has fallen due to facing mobile quarterbacks and running backs like LSU’s Leonard Fournette.
“I feel we’ve improved on working on our hand placement, striking, coming out of our hips,” A’Shawn Robinson said. “I think we’ve come a long way, but there’s always room for improvement.”
Besides shutting down the run, the defensive line works on pass rush and pass defense. Getting guys to bat down balls is an area of emphasis, Saban said. The team has a program where the players get points for ball disruptions. Saban said some of the defensive linemen are leading in that category.
“It’s amazing, though, that in this day and age how many balls get thrown short and in the middle,” he said. “You know slants and end routes that are short in the middle, and you really watch the film and you see the flight of the ball going over a lineman, and you show them how many balls they could have bat down. It’s pretty amazing.”
Having players like A’Shawn Robinson and junior defensive linemen D.J. Pettway and Jarran Reed, who Saban said have a real instinct for it, helps.
“They kind of know when to rush and they know when the quarterback’s going to throw the ball. They kind of read it when they’re in the rush lanes,” Saban said. “They’ve done a really good job with that and it’s been very helpful to us.”
