Great stuff & long overdue.
Alabama still has its typically sturdy, run-stuffing defense but with a twist: One of the nation's best pass rushes.
The seventh-ranked Crimson Tide has been bringing down opposing quarterbacks at a higher rate than any Nick Saban college defense since Michigan State in 1999. That knack - 14 Tide players have recorded at least a half sack - has had a significant ripple effect for Alabama, which has been harassing opposing passers into interceptions and batting down passes with regularity.
Alabama leads the Southeastern Conference and ranks sixth nationally with an average of 3.38 sacks per game.
Last year's defense ranked 61st with 2.21 sacks per game. In fact, it's the highest sack average for a Saban-led team in 16 years, according to research by STATs. That 1999 Michigan State team averaged 3.73 sacks per game behind Julian Peterson, who had 15 on his way to being a first-round draft pick.
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