How Challenging is it for Kane Wommack, Alabama Defense to Prepare for Three Quarterbacks?

The Auburn Tigers have had a tumultuous season, starting 3-0 before losing four straight, defeating a battered Arkansas roster, then losing to Kentucky and Vanderbilt, with a coach firing mixed in there, and a dominant showing against an FCS opponent.  The Tigers have had three quarterbacks start a game this season, with Jackson Arnold starting every game before getting benched during the Tigers' 10-3 loss to Kentucky for Ashton Daniels. Daniels started the Tigers' 45-38 loss to Vanderbilt before sitting out against Mercer to preserve his redshirt. Deuce Knight started the Tigers' 62-17 victory over the Mercer Bears.

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It's infrequent to see a team start three different quarterbacks in three weeks this late into the season. Still, the Tigers have done so, providing the Crimson Tide film on all three as Alabama prepares for its biggest game of the season, and possibly Kalen DeBoer's short Alabama tenure, this Saturday against the Tigers. Reports on Monday say the Tigers will return to Ashton Daniels for the Iron Bowl, so Alabama will have to prepare on limited film for the Tigers' new starter.

Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack was asked about preparing for Daniels, but also having film on Arnold and Knight thanks to the Tigers' recent decisions at quarterback.

"I think Ashton has done a really nice job. Again, I think they've come up with a game plan that he can operate very efficiently," Wommack said, "and thought he did a really good job against Vanderbilt of taking care of the football, putting the ball in the right direction, working through his progression properly. Then certainly he does things from the run game that cause challenges and issues for you, and really every quarterback does.

"I wouldn't say that they are drastically different, no matter what quarterback comes in the game plan. Sometimes you get a throwing quarterback or a runner, vice versa, they're relatively similar in what they're doing. We will anticipate the potential that we might see two or maybe three of them, but from our standpoint, I don't think it's really going to change how we see them and how we view them from a game plan standpoint."

It's a challenge for any coach to prepare for a quarterback as talented as what Auburn has with Daniels, Arnold, and Knight. Kane Wommack did share some insight into how Alabama will prepare for all three.

"Well, you certainly want to identify each of them, and are there things that one of them does that the other one does not. There are certainly elements to - I thought Deuce had a really good game the other day. There's things in the passing game that, with a young quarterback, you're not going to go maybe farther down in some of the schematics that they're doing there. But at the same time, he did a really nice job of pulling the ball down, and he ran all over the field there.

"When he got out in the open field, he was able to create the big, explosive play. I think rushed for four touchdowns, something like that. But for us, when you look at it structurally, I think they're doing the same thing. I think they have an identity of what they do and how they do it, and I don't think that changes from one quarterback to the next. But you certainly want to be mindful of what each quarterback does well. Like anything, you try to identify those things and make them play left-handed - or in Ashton's case, right-handed."

Alabama will travel to Auburn for the Iron Bowl on Saturday, November 29. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.