These were and are two special defenses. I would say the ’92 defense had a little more star power with Antonio Langham, George Teague, Eric Curry, John Copeland and Sam Shade, at least to this point. This year’s defense looks like it has more depth, though.Dont’a Hightower, Courtney Upshaw and Mark Barron are becoming pretty familiar household names just like those guys were. By star power, I’m talking about the interception Langham made against Florida that he returned for a score to seal the SEC Championship game and enable the Tide to play Miami for the National Championship. George Teague made one of the premier plays in Alabama football history when he stripped the ball from wide receiver Lamar Thomas of Miami who was running for a score on a long pass in the Sugar Bowl against Miami.Teague pulled off “the Strip” on the ‘Bama 10-yard line. It was an epic play and led to yet another national championship and another Daniel Moore. But there’s time for this 2011 group to make some memorable, historical plays. A lot of football left. Of course, one of the greatest lines to come out of an Alabama football game was in the 1979 Sugar Bowl against Penn State when Tide defensive end Marty Lyons told Penn State running back Mike Guman on fourth and goal at the one for Penn State, “You’d better pass.” Penn State tried to go over the top on a Guman leap and was stuffed by Lyons, Barry Krauss and Don McNeal. ‘Bama won the national title that year, too.
Barron has already made some major hits and Upshaw had a dominant performance against Michigan State last year and had a dominant performance against Florida two weeks. Hightower is back to his 2009 form, and guys like Dre Kirkpatrick, DeQuan Menzie, Dee Milliner and Robert Lester are all capable of big plays. Menzie made the play of the year so far on defense with his interception of a Tyler Wilson pass which he took in for a score that turned the momentum in that blowout of the Razorbacks. There’s a lot of football ahead and some great plays to ensue. Should be fun.
(George Teague made one of the most memorable plays in Tide history; Courtney Upshaw could do something like it this season.)