TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama's defensive front is different.

While the level of play has varied this year, the size and physicality it shows on a down-to-down basis have not. Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack made it a point to get bigger in the offseason, bringing the Crimson Tide from one of the smallest lines in the SEC to the top half of the conference.

But, for as valuable as size is on the field, it can only get a team so far, which is why the biggest change in the unit this year is its mentality.

"We're big on the emphasis of honing on to the little details," bandit Fatutoa Henry said. "Just being direct on what's our job, what's our focus, and just going and attacking."

Henry had a breakout game in Alabama's 31-20 win over Texas A&M last week, recording two fourth-quarter sacks for a team that had just two total sacks over its previous 11 quarters of play. Those plays were the defining moments of the Crimson Tide's second-half defensive takeover, during which the Aggies were held to just three points and the defensive line looked the best it had in weeks.

Even more impressive was the fact that the defense did it with a number of backups in the game due to injuries, Henry included.

"We had guys hurt, so I felt like I had to step it up," Henry said. "Even though I was dealing with the ankle, I had to get my mind right, play hard... my mindset changed to, 'I have to go out there and dominate.'"

At its best, Alabama's defensive front is one of the biggest, most physical, violent groups in the SEC and the nation. At its worst, it has been a pushover. It has failed to generate consistent third-down pressure, it allowed Tennessee to essentially seal the game two weeks ago with a nine-and-a-half minute fourth-quarter drive, and its stars, Thompkins and Pierre, have gone silent at times.

Alabama's roster is littered with position groups that have struggled. This is far from a perfect roster, and not all of the issues will be fixed. But the defensive front, with the high-end talent it possesses, the moments of brilliance displayed from rotational pieces like Henry, and the early-season evidence that everything can come together, is one of the strongest candidates to play elite football down the stretch.

The hunger to do so is certainly there.

"Everybody has the same goal," Henry said. "I wouldn't say nobody last year was less talented, it's just this year there's more hungry guys. Everybody wants to eat the same."

Watch Fatutoa Henry's full media availability

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