Defensive line appears stable

TUSCALOOSA | Yeah, it hurt.

It hurt when he sustained the injury against Florida State. It hurt with each snap of the ball. It hurt for the rest of the season.

Worse than that, it was problematic. An ankle injury can be particularly nasty for a defensive lineman, especially when he constantly has to push off against a 300-pound offensive lineman. Sometimes two.

Such was the fate of Bobby Greenwood, who in 2007 had his junior season with the University of Alabama football team partially derailed. He sat against Houston — the only game he's missed in three years at the Capstone — and wasn't able to regain his starting job after that.

'I feel a lot better,' Greenwood said. 'It bothered me for a while. I did a lot of rehab, but I think the break did help. So did getting back to it and working it a lot. I feel good pushing off.'

Coming into this spring, the defensive line was supposed to be one of the biggest question marks for the Crimson Tide, especially with the departure of first-team All-Southeastern Conference end Wallace Gilberry. However, the unit has in some ways been one of the most stable despite depth concerns.

Thus far, Alabama has gone with a group of nine players — which is less than some teams will rotate during regular-season games — although the third unit has been limited. Sophomore Milton Talbert (shoulder) has been in black, signaling no contact, sophomore Nick Gentry was slowed by a twisted ankle and sophomore Brian Motley moved to center after smashing up a finger on March 28.

'I was kind of surprised because two days before I broke my hand I moved to defensive end,' said Motley, who has been ruled out for Saturday's A-Day Game. 'But the defense is designed for us to use our hands, and I couldn't use my hand. So [head coach Nick Saban] decided to move me to offense. It's not necessarily permanent, just kind keeps me busy, keeps me doing something active.

'I kind of like defense a little bit more. I just like to hit people.'

Manning the second line have been sophomores Luther Davis and Josh Chapman, along with redshirt freshman Alfred McCullough, who has been one of the biggest surprises of spring. During last Saturday's scrimmage his five tackles tied for the team lead, to go with a sack and a quarterback hurry.

'He's really impressed me,' junior nose guard Lorenzo Washington said. 'They were talking about moving him to O-line and stuff. I still think he has the ability to play nose, but he's really improved [at end]. He's lost a few pounds and he's making a lot of plays.'

Gilberry's departure, though, left two obvious holes: sacks and experience. He topped the Tide last season with 10 sacks (all but two came in the second half of last season) and his 27 tackles for loss led the SEC.

Yet what the line lost in individual accomplishments it hopes to offset with continuity.

'I think what people don't realize is that pass-rushing is setting up a trap for the quarterback and everyone has to work together,' junior end Brandon Deaderick said. 'You might have that one great pass rusher, you don't get a rush from the other side the quarterback can just roll out or step up. So this spring we've been working on everyone working together. We've all gotten a lot better.'

Deaderick's goal for sacks is ambitious: 'It would be nice to get at least 10,' he said.

'The important thing is getting pressure, messing up the quarterback's vision, getting him out of his throwing rhythm. Sacks will come as long as everyone's doing their job.'

Washington was limited with pectoral muscle tear during spring drills last year. The injury also sidelined him for the Fourth Quarter conditioning program.

'The defensive line always has to be like one unit because it all starts up front,' Washington said. 'When you become so close with someone, practicing with them every day, eating with them every day, you just become close and you know someone is going to have your back. When you know when someone is going to do their job, it's easier to do your job.'

Which leads to possibly Greenwood's most important role this season, being the veteran. The Prattville native is the lone senior on the defensive line.

'It's definitely a team defense,' Greenwood said. 'It's reacting now. We have all the plays in our head. It's just going out and doing them. We all have a year under our belt so we're all a lot more comfortable out there. We understand a lot of the play of the other teams in the SEC. It's just set and go.

'We're definitely a lot more conditioned, especially out on the field. Lack of depth has made us a lot better [from taking more snaps]. I think it has a lot to do with our unit, especially in the front. But I have a lot to prove this year. It's my last go-around.'

Reach Christopher Walsh at christopher.walsh@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0196.