Which is Bama's all-time best defensive team?

[LegionField]

With our outstanding defense this year, it begs the question. Give your year and arguments. Roll Tide. I personally like 1992's defense. I couldn't remember which team in the 60's gave up like 35 points all year. Was it 1964 or 61? I can only put these in this poll(not enough choice options). Feel free to write in votes.....

 

[derek4tide]

1992 was a good one, but 1961 was one for the ages. :biga2:

 

[jblackb042]

Those are some great defenses, but how about the 1930 team that gave up just 13 points all season (granted there aren't many people alive from that time, and I am not one of them). Just a thought.

 

[goallinestand78]

All these were great defenses. But the 78 and 79 defenses should also be on the list. The 78 defense didn't have the most sensational numbers, but their schedule was awesome. The OOC schedule included Nebraska, Southern Cal, Miami and Louisville. More importantly, they deserve to be on the list because they delivered the most famous goal line stand in Alabama, and probably in all of college football, history. (Note my handle). The 79 defense stacks up well with any of the others on your list. They produced four shutouts, set a school record for most INTS that I believe still stands (30 I believe) and were the key to Bama being ranked number one almost wire to wire.

 

[goallinestand78]

Also its way premature to put the 2005 group on this list. Let's see how the rest of the season goes. I appreciate that they are the key to our success this year, but fifth in NCAA total D, with no shutouts yet, is good but not great by Bama's historical standards. If they play even better the rest of the year they will deserve to be mentioned with these other teams.

 

[LegionField]

Wow, the 1979 defense sounds like some

studs. I love a good defensive ballgame.

 

[bayoutider]

1961 was a different age of football but for a team to only allow 25 points in a season and have 5 consecutive shutouts is a heroic achievement. They get my vote. The 1961 team is also the team that put Alabama football back in the spotlight after the J.B. "Ears" Whitworth error.

 

[LegionField]

I love to hear my bretheren talk about the defensive stalwarts of old....

This is cool

 

[RedStar]

I was only 8 when we won it all in 1992. Having said that, 2005 is basically the only time I've ever seen us with a defense like this. 2005 gets my vote because i'm only 21 and have never witnessed the rest.

 

[RedStar]

Also its way premature to put the 2005 group on this list. Let's see how the rest of the season goes. I appreciate that they are the key to our success this year, but fifth in NCAA total D, with no shutouts yet, is good but not great by Bama's historical standards. If they play even better the rest of the year they will deserve to be mentioned with these other teams.

You are right about them not having any shutouts, but they have held Tennessee and Florida without a Touchdown, that's very impressive. They also have not allowed a single point in the 3rd quarter, this I think shows how good our coaching staff is at adjusting to the other teams offense. Seems like they make all the right moves at halftime.

 

[Kevin4Bama]

Great one ...

All these were great defenses. But the 78 and 79 defenses should also be on the list. The 78 defense didn't have the most sensational numbers, but their schedule was awesome. The OOC schedule included Nebraska, Southern Cal, Miami and Louisville. More importantly, they deserve to be on the list because they delivered the most famous goal line stand in Alabama, and probably in all of college football, history. (Note my handle). The 79 defense stacks up well with any of the others on your list. They produced four shutouts, set a school record for most INTS that I believe still stands (30 I believe) and were the key to Bama being ranked number one almost wire to wire.

Yeah, but that Miami team was not very good. This was before they came to national prominence.

That Bama/Miami game at BD was my first game. I was like 12 or 13 and I was hooked on BAMA football from that time on. I had always liked them and would always watch the big games, but after that game, I never missed one and have always preferred to see one at BD. This was the days when there were no upper decks and the stadium held about 60,000.

ROLL TIDE

:biga2:​

 

[TIDEFAN17]

1992 no contest

 

[Bryant Disciple]

The '92 defense was dominant, but 2005 is shaping up to be something very special.

Holding Florida and Tennessee to 3 points each? As Neo would say, "Woah."

Our defense will keep us in every game this season. I would love to see them matched against USC.

 

[drsmithofga]

Barry Krauss, Marty Lyons, E.J. Junior and Don McNeil were first round draft choices from this team. #36 Rich Wingo was a pro for 7 years, too. Hard to keep them off the list.

 

[Probius]

I love our defense this season but 1992 is the best defense I have ever seen. With those two defensive ends and our secondary that defense was just amazing. It is hard to beat a secondary that includes cornerbacks like Antonio Langham, George Teague, and Tommy Johnson and safeties like Sam Shade and Chris Donnely. Tommy Johnson was the no. 3 cb but could have started anywhere else in the SEC. That defense also went up against the best offense in the nation and the defending National Champs and shut them down completely. That team had amazing talent all over the field and a great DC in "Brother" Bill. I also think to compare them to past defenses is unfair because the game had so much more offense and the rules were so much more geared to offense in 1992 than in the 60's, 70's, and before. This team always gets my vote as the best defense in Bama history and my favorite Bama team. Roll Tide Roll .

 

[TommyMac]

Before some of y'all so casually dismiss those teams under Coach Wade and Coach Thomas as playing in an era of no offense, you need to research those teams a little. Some of those teams scored in the neighborhood of 300 points and produced some of our greatest offensive stars. Howell, Hutson, Gilmer Marlow, Brown, etc. Offense wasn't just invented in the recent past, they put air in the ball even in those days.

 

[FitToBeTide]

1961, subjectively.

:biga2:

 

[SirCrimson]

Legion Field, the question your asking really cant be answered. Heres why. The 1961 defense was a great defense no doubt but they didnt play football then they way they do now. In 61 it was 3 yards and a cloud of dust and they only threw the ball ever now and then.The same holds true for the 78, 79 defense which is probably 2 of the most heralded defense's in Crimson Tide history. Now remember in 78 and 79 most college teams were running the wishbone and they still didnt throw the ball all that much or they ran what they called a vier wing( hope i spelled that right?) The barn used to run the vier wing it wasnt nothing but a souped up version of the wishbone? Now before i get flamed i know the Tide faced folks like Archie Manning of Old Miss and Pat Sullivan of the barn who threw the ball almost on every down.

Now let me say a few words about the 92 defense. The way they played football in 92 is just like the way its played today. They were quick fast and strong (just ask Lamar Thomas)and an outstanding group of guys that could stop the run and pass equally as well.

Now let me bring up one more point of discussion that needs to talked about to all fairness to those involved. In the early 1970s Coach Bryant recruited black players. They brought to the table strength, quickness, and agility that hadnt been seen before in the history of college sports at least in the south. It was once said that Sam "Bam" Cunningham done more for race relations in the south in 3 hours than Martin Luther King did in 20 years, that day when he ran all over Alabama in 1970. Somehow i think theres alot of truth in that.

Now let me say a few words about 2005's defense, so far they have done a great job but with 6 games left to play, lets just say the jury is still out on them.

Ive been following Alabama football for 45 years and i dont think anyone can say which defense is the absolute best.

 

[rtrcam]

The 1925 team allowed only 7 points the entire regular season - to Birmingham Southern in the second game of the year. They pitched 8 straight shutouts. They went on to beat Washington in the Rose Bowl, 20-19.

 

[voodoodave]

92 for me, but 61 looked very stout by the numbers.