Tide defense looks the best on paper...
SEC teams win by playing defense. That is what sets the Southeastern Conference apart from other leagues according to the football gurus. You might have an occasional team that comes into the league and runs some sort of gizmo offense and have some short time success. Texas A&M proved this point, but I'd hate to be Manziel the next time around in the SEC. Gus Malzhon has some short lived success at Auburn. Like TAM he also had a phenominal quarterback, but once the quarterback left it was like road kill for SEC teams. Even Urban Meyer got run out of the league. Keeping in mind the importance of defense here is my comparison of the Tide and Tiger defenses.
Coaching: Kirby Smart vs. Brian VanGorter: When you look at Alabama it seems like you are looking at a stonewall. LSU and TAM found some cracks, but the defense played well enough for the Alabama offense to come mount a comeback. The Tide came back and beat LSU, but came up two yards short against A&M. Auburn's defense doens't look all that bad on paper. They have a solid front seven, but have suffered some injuries in the secondary. The real problem is that Auburn, despite looking decent on paper, looks horrible on the field. Bama is a tremendous team agains the run. The run the 3 - 4 and hope the the down lineman can hold off the offensive line and allow the linebackers and corners come up to make the tackles. More often than not it has worked. VanGorter has put in a new scheme and that sometimes requires some patience. Big Edge to Alabama in the coaching department. The continuity of the defensive staff shows.
The defensive line: Alabama starts big and strong at the nose guard with Jesse Williams. Williams moved over from tackle and has done yoeman work. Brandon Ivory comes in and backs up Williams, but on occasion both play on short yardage plays. Alabama recruits specifically for their defensive positions. That is why 3 star players have looked so good for the Tide. This year's 3 star special is Damion Square. Square was rated a 3 star prospect coming out of high school, but is a 5 star player at his defensive end/ lineback position at Alabama. Alabama is so disciplined on defense. They don't get a lot of silly penalties, broken assignments are few and far between. And the defensivie line is simply intimidating. You have a noseguard who can pick up a Volkswagen. You have big and fast defensive tackles who can plug the run or run down a back to the corner. Auburn has some good defensive lineman. Cory Lemonier is boss lineman for the Tigers. He has been a shining star in a bleak night for the Tigers. This was a defense that many thought was deep enough, fast enough, and tough enough to be dominate. It never happened. Edge to Alabama
The linebackers: C.J. Moselely might be the best linebacker in the NCAA. There is no doubt his peer group is very small. Moseley is a hard nosed tackler and has great hands. He ran one interception back against Michigan. If an offensive runnin back is inbounds then C.J. can find him, and often just run him down from behind. Sideline to sideline he has no one in his category. Nico Johnson is stougt against the run. Trey DePriest is showing everyone he is going to be a star. Alabama can do two deep at each linebacking position and the drop off is very small. Auburn has a good one in Daren Bates. Bates is AU's leading tackler and has that knack of always being round the ball. Jermaine Whitehed compliments Bates with his run stopping ability. Auburn has some good linebackers. They have a great one in Bates.Cassnove McKinizie is improving. This is one category where they two teams are pretty even, although Bama's depth gives Alabama the edge.
The secondary: Alabama lost key defensive backs the NFL last season. Robert Lester is the steady and dependable saftey evey team in America wants. Dee Milliner is going to be a first round pick in the draft. Last week, cornerback Deion Belue, picked up a misplayed lateral and ran it into the endzone. He is supposedly the weak link in the Tide secondary. He hasn't proven to be anyone's picked on guy so far. Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix is getting better and better. Vinnie Sunseri has some speed issues but he plays his saftey position so well he he is rarely out of position. Auburn's secondary has been wracked with injuries which have caused a never ending lineup change. Big Edge to Alabama
Kickng game: Alabama's Jeremy Shelly is the only player in the NCAA who has not missed a field goal or PAT. Codey Parkey has kicked on game winner this season and has been range. Alabama relies on the hot/cold Cade Foster for long range attempts. Parkey is better at kicking touchbacks. Mandell has improved for Tide. Alabama's kickoff coverage has been shaky. Auburn has run back a couple of kickoffs for TD's. Slight edge to Auburn
Coaching: Kirby Smart vs. Brian VanGorter: When you look at Alabama it seems like you are looking at a stonewall. LSU and TAM found some cracks, but the defense played well enough for the Alabama offense to come mount a comeback. The Tide came back and beat LSU, but came up two yards short against A&M. Auburn's defense doens't look all that bad on paper. They have a solid front seven, but have suffered some injuries in the secondary. The real problem is that Auburn, despite looking decent on paper, looks horrible on the field. Bama is a tremendous team agains the run. The run the 3 - 4 and hope the the down lineman can hold off the offensive line and allow the linebackers and corners come up to make the tackles. More often than not it has worked. VanGorter has put in a new scheme and that sometimes requires some patience. Big Edge to Alabama in the coaching department. The continuity of the defensive staff shows.
The linebackers: C.J. Moselely might be the best linebacker in the NCAA. There is no doubt his peer group is very small. Moseley is a hard nosed tackler and has great hands. He ran one interception back against Michigan. If an offensive runnin back is inbounds then C.J. can find him, and often just run him down from behind. Sideline to sideline he has no one in his category. Nico Johnson is stougt against the run. Trey DePriest is showing everyone he is going to be a star. Alabama can do two deep at each linebacking position and the drop off is very small. Auburn has a good one in Daren Bates. Bates is AU's leading tackler and has that knack of always being round the ball. Jermaine Whitehed compliments Bates with his run stopping ability. Auburn has some good linebackers. They have a great one in Bates.Cassnove McKinizie is improving. This is one category where they two teams are pretty even, although Bama's depth gives Alabama the edge. 
Kickng game: Alabama's Jeremy Shelly is the only player in the NCAA who has not missed a field goal or PAT. Codey Parkey has kicked on game winner this season and has been range. Alabama relies on the hot/cold Cade Foster for long range attempts. Parkey is better at kicking touchbacks. Mandell has improved for Tide. Alabama's kickoff coverage has been shaky. Auburn has run back a couple of kickoffs for TD's. Slight edge to Auburn
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