Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack reveals his true feelings on what the Crimson Tide accomplished in the transfer portal
The Alabama Crimson Tide had a fruitful transfer portal, and ahead of summer workouts, Alabama DC Kane Wommack reveals how he feels about the team and the portal in general.
The Alabama Crimson Tide wasted no time after the devastating loss in the Rose Bowl. With so much turnover in modern college football, Alabama focused on retention first, and acquisitions second, and outside of losses like Isaiah Horton and a few defensive linemen, it’s safe to say that the Crimson Tide accomplished that.
When you look at the new faces on both sides of the trenches, it’s hard not to be optimistic about what Alabama did in the portal, especially after witnessing the spring game and the disruption from Desmond Zulu and Devan Thompkins. Well, DC Kane Wommack seems to agree.
Key Alabama transfer portal additions on defense
- Caleb Woodson, LB
- Desmond Zulu, EDGE/DE
- Devan Thompkins, EDGE/DE
Kane Womack is bullish about Alabama’s 2026 defense, portal additions
“It’s just nice when you go into Year 3, there’s a lot of continuity,” Wommack said at the Senior Bowl Charities Celebrity Golf Classic via On3. “We’ve got a lot of returning starters on our back end, a lot of young guys that are pushing some of those guys, as well, which is really great. And we’ve kind of gotten the defensive line in a position to where we’ve got more mass. There’s some older guys.”
“The transfer portal’s been really good to us, so having some of those guys in, coupled with our back end, I think there’s a lot of continuity. There’s a lot of excitement within the group and confidence in each other. And so, it’s fun to kind of go through spring with that group of guys that know the expectations and kind of set the tone early and often.”
What Alabama’s defense needs to be better at in 2026
For Alabama, the biggest weakness during its 2025 season was the lack of pass rush. LT Overton struggled to get going, injuries plagued guys like Qua Russaw, and by the end of the year, it was Yhonzae Pierre as the only dominant pass rusher in Tuscaloosa.
Well, now you see that the Tide return Pierre, Justin Hill has been making noise, and transfers like Thompkins and Zulu had a fantastic spring. If Alabama can hit on its defensive line and pass rushers, the sky may be the limit for the defense in 2026.