Well, a lot of Alabama Crimson Tide fans have been wondering how defensive coordinator Kane Wommack and coach Kalen DeBoer would respond to the actions of cornerback Dijon Lee against Georgia. I think we just found out.

Lee struggled all night long against the Bulldogs. Georgia clearly targeted No. 5, and his Saturday night in Tuscaloosa was the latest chapter in what has been an up-and-down season for the Alabama defensive back.

Dijon Lee’s struggles came to a head against Georgia

Teams have gone after Lee multiple times this fall. He’s been out of position at times. He hasn’t gotten his head around on throws. He hasn’t made a play on the football when he’s had the chance. As a result, he’s given up some big plays.

That all came to a head in the fourth quarter. Lee was flagged for a personal foul that cost Alabama the game, and it turned a season-long concern into a giant problem for the Crimson Tide secondary.

So what exactly is Wommack going to do about it? He told us.

What Kane Wommack said about Dijon Lee

Wommack addressed the situation during his weekly press conference, via the Alabama Crimson Tide YouTube channel. Here is what the Alabama defensive coordinator said about Lee:

“My job is to get the most out of every single player in our defense. The things I need to do to get him to execute at a higher level than what he’s doing as an execution standpoint. That’s one facet. The other facet is being held accountable for the penalty there at the end of the game. There will be some things that we will do this week and some things moving forward. My job as defensive coordinator is about the production you put on the field, the role you have moving forward. So from a rep-based standpoint, that will be reflective in what guys have done to this point.”

That tells me all I need to know.

Wommack didn’t name names beyond Lee, and he didn’t announce a depth chart change. But when a coordinator talks about accountability, production, and a “rep-based standpoint” in the same breath, he’s telling you that playing time is on the line. He spelled out two separate issues: the execution on the field and the penalty that ended the game. Both of those will factor into who lines up at cornerback this weekend.

Carmelo O’Neal could be in line to start against Tennessee

To me, Carmelo O’Neal is probably going to be Alabama’s starting corner this week against the Tennessee Volunteers.

Whether it was Lee’s play on the field or the antics that cost the Crimson Tide the game, I could see this one coming from a mile away. That isn’t me saying much, either. I think everyone could see it coming. Alabama can’t keep putting a cornerback on an island when opponents have made him their top target, and the personal foul only accelerated a decision that was already on the table.

O’Neal now gets the opportunity of the season. Tennessee will test whoever lines up across from its receivers, and how he handles that assignment will go a long way in determining how this cornerback room shakes out over the rest of the year.

I don’t think this is necessarily the end of Lee’s career at Alabama. He still has the tools to bounce back, and Wommack’s comments make it clear that he wants to get the most out of every player on the defense, Lee included.

But if O’Neal steps in and plays well against the Vols, we could very well be looking at a new starter in the Crimson Tide secondary after what happened Saturday night in Tuscaloosa.