Alabama Football Film Room: Jonathan Allen Does

Jonathan Allen is having himself a pretty decent start to the 2016 season. Through five games, he has four sacks (1st on the team), four QB hurries (2nd on the team), 22 tackles (4th on the team), two passes defended, and a blocked field goal. He only had three sacks and four tackles through this point in 2015. He had a stellar game against Kentucky, adding eight tackles and a sack.

2nd and 10: Alabama is in nickel. Allen is the strongside defensive end with Minkah Fitzpatrick standing to his right. Da’Ron Payne and Dalvin Tomlinson are the other down linemen with Anfernee Jennings on the weakside. Kentucky is in the pistol and has two receivers bunched to the left with the H-back on that side as well. QB Stephen Johnson hands it off to RB Jojo Kemp. Allen stunts inside from his end position and blows past the center, who’s blocking down on Payne. Kemp tries to cut, but he’s not getting past Allen.

1st and 10: Allen’s at strongside end on the left side of the defense. Kentucky’s in the gun and has an RPO called. Allen is left unblocked. Johnson keeps it and pumps to the tight end on an out route. The pump gets Allen hopping to his left, clearing a small path for Johnson, who takes off. Allen reacts quickly, though, and makes the tackle. Johnson had started sliding because Tomlinson was waiting for him, but Allen would’ve had him regardless.

3rd and 10: It’s 3rd and long, so the defense knows it’s passing time for Kentucky. The Wildcats are in the pistol with trips right with a tight end on the line to the left. Allen is on that side with Christian Miller standing to his right. The tight end blocks Miller, who doesn’t really rush. The offensive line inexplicably lets Allen go by, leaving poor Boom Williams one-on-one with one of the nation’s premier pass-rushers. It goes as you’d expect. Williams tries his best, trying to cut him down; but Allen leaps and brings Johnson down for the sack.

2nd and 6: Allen is on the right at 3-tech. He drives left into the A gap and gets his hands inside those of LG Logan Stenberg. Stenberg then gets his left hand underneath Allen’s shoulder pad and just tackles Allen to the ground. Instead of a 4 or 5 yard gain, it’s an easy holding call.

1st and 10: The Wildcats are in the wildcat with Jojo Kemp. The H-back is to the left, so Allen lines up on that side against at the 3-technique spot. Rashaan Evans is the linebacker to his right. Allen stays low and slams into the left tackle, shoving him back effortlessly. He keeps his eyes on Kemp and crashes down, avoiding the H-back and wrapping up Kemp for a minimal gain.