Alabama Football: Defensive Surprises Await the Hogs, What Has Bama Been Hiding?

Larry Burton (Syndicated Writer) With all respect to Alabama's first three opponents, there wasn't much preparation needed. Just line up that awesome talent and let them run base offenses and base defenses and simply grind them into the ground with superior size, strength and talent.

There's a lot that the Tide could have been doing, but why give opponents anything to study on film when you don't have to?

With an SEC foe now coming to town next week, the pass-happy Arkansas Razorbacks, what surprises has Nick Saban got in store for that visiting team?

So far, Alabama has yet to do any jail house blitzes, many safety blitzes and has run very few stunts to try and confuse the offensive lines. They have simply run the base defense and simply let size and strength overcome vanilla play-calling on defense.

Expect Alabama to come out in that same vanilla defense and see how they match up. If Saban and Kirby Smart feel they can simply mow over the Razorbacks as they have the previous opponents, then they may stick to that same play-calling and save the surprises for another day.

But if the Hogs air attack starts stinging the Tide, you can expect to see Alabama start sending a corner or safety blitz from the nickel package while dropping the rest in man-to-man coverage.

Also expect to see linebackers stunt and create mismatches in the blocking schemes. Instead of a straight bull rush against the man they're lined up against, look for them to pull or loop into a different slot where a defensive linemen already has his man engaged.

Dont'a Hightower will also do a lot more audibles to change the line and linebacker's rushing scheme just before the snap. They haven't done much defensive check offs so far this year.

They've been practicing it all year, however, and Hightower can't wait to show his mastery of using his skills as a "defensive quarterback".

Also expect to see the defensive backs line up in a man-to-man read and then switch to a zone coverage just before the snap. Like Hightower, Mark Barron is ready to show that he can baffle the defenses by changing the defensive backfield look.

So far, the Alabama team has done little to try and disguise coverages and rushing schemes on defense. There was simply no need to when you could just line up and brick wall offenses with your most simple base defense.

Look for that to change as the competition gets tougher.

Whether this will be the game it is premiered remains to be seen, but the Tide are ready if it is. Now, so will you.