Analysis: Breaking down Alabama’s defensive personnel ahead of playing Vols

Analysis: Breaking down Alabama’s defensive personnel ahead of playing Tennessee

No. 8 Alabama (6-1, 4-0 SEC) will host No. 15 Tennessee (5-1, 2-1 SEC) on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Rankings reflect the US LBM Coaches Poll.

Kickoff between the Vols and Crimson Tide is slated for 3:30 p.m. EDT and will be televised by CBS.

Tennessee and head coach Josh Heupel defeated Alabama, 52-49, last season at Neyland Stadium.

Vols Wire highlighted how Utah State provided a blueprint for Tennessee’s offense to have success against Alabama last season.

Utah State played at Alabama in Week 1 last season and had a similar scheme to Heupel’s.

Anthony Tucker served as running backs coach (2018-20), passing game coordinator (2019) and co-offensive coordinator (2020) under Heupel at UCF. He was Utah State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2022.

The Vols have a similar situation in 2023.

Alabama defeated USF, 17-13, on Sept. 16. Former Vols’ offensive coordinator Alex Golesh is in his first season as head coach at USF.

Tennessee-Alabama football top 15 matchup by the numbers

Ahead of Saturday’s Tennessee-Alabama contest, Vols Wire provides analysis of the Crimson Tide’s starting defensive personnel against USF’s similar offensive scheme to Heupel’s.