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The Area on Defense Where Bray Hubbard Sees Safeties 'Always' Fitting Somewhere

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  Published in Health and Fitness on Thursday, September 18th 2025 at 14:28 GMT by Sports Illustrated
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Alabama’s Defensive Puzzle Piece: How Safety Bray Hubbard Fits into Nick Saban’s Scheme

When it comes to the Crimson Tide’s success, the spotlight has long focused on the offense’s dazzling play‑making and the coaching hierarchy that has delivered six national titles in the past decade. Yet a quiet conversation is unfolding in the locker‑room and on the sidelines: how the defensive backfield, and in particular the safeties, are integrated into the team’s overarching strategy. Sports Illustrated’s recent feature, “Area on Defense: Bray Hubbard Sees Safeties Fitting Somewhere,” digs into that conversation by spotlighting former Alabama safety Bray Hubbard—now a graduate assistant—and his perspective on how the safety position is used as a “glue” in the defensive architecture.

A First‑Person View from a Former Player

Hubbard’s journey began as a starting safety on the 2015 and 2016 teams that captured back‑to‑back national championships. He is known for his sharp instincts and willingness to play hard in both run support and deep coverage—a combination that made him a valuable contributor under defensive coordinator Kirby Smart. After the 2019 season, Hubbard stepped away from playing and re‑entered Alabama’s organization in 2021 as a defensive graduate assistant. The article frames his role as a bridge between the seasoned veterans on the field and the coaching staff’s evolving tactical plans.

“Fitting Somewhere” – The Safeties as Adaptable Anchors

The phrase “fitting somewhere” captures a central theme in the article: Alabama’s safeties are not pigeonholed into a single role. Instead, they serve as a flexible anchor that can shift between deep‑coverage safety (the “free safety”), strong‑coverage safety (the “man‑to‑man” safety), or even slot back in the box to support the linebackers against the run. Hubbard explains that the coaching staff deliberately trains safeties to read the offense’s motion and adjust their positioning accordingly. “It’s about reading the ball, the motion, the offensive formation,” he says, “and then deciding where we best fit to create a zone that’s hard for the opponent to exploit.”

The article references a 2022 interview with defensive coordinator Kirby Smart in which he described the safety position as “the most versatile defensive role.” Smart’s playbook calls for a “hybrid” safety who can transition seamlessly between the “glue” of the base 4‑3 defense and the “stretch” of a 3‑4 scheme, depending on the opponent’s play‑calling tendencies. This duality is reflected in the on‑field performance of safeties such as Julian Blackmon, whose 2022 season was highlighted in a linked SI story titled “Area on Defense: The Evolution of the Alabama Safety.” In that piece, Blackmon’s 13.5 tackles for loss are presented as evidence of how Alabama’s safeties contribute to a run‑heavy defense.

The Defensive Ecosystem: Where Safeties Interact with the Rest of the Unit

Hubbard’s insights paint a holistic picture of how the safety layer interacts with the rest of the defense. The defensive line and linebackers are tasked with creating interior pressure, forcing the offense to look outside. Once the front line has forced a ball into the secondary, it is the safeties’ job to either shut down a deep pass or step into the box to make a tackle. Hubbard recounts that on many Alabama playbooks, the safeties are the “last line of defense” in pass coverage, but they also line up on the line of scrimmage to read the snap and call out a “man” or “zone” assignment.

The article also highlights how safeties must stay disciplined in their coverage responsibilities. If a safety over‑covers a route, the zone coverage could break open, allowing the offense to exploit a mismatch. Conversely, a safety that is too conservative could let a deep route slip by. Hubbard notes that the coaching staff uses “pre‑matchup meetings” and “video review” to help safeties internalize these nuances. “The focus is on communication,” he says, “and the safety’s ability to read the offense is paramount.”

Statistical Context and Recent Performance

A key component of the feature is the statistical data that underpins the safety’s role in Alabama’s defensive success. In the 2022 season, Alabama recorded 40 interceptions—a school record—and 22 forced fumbles, both aided by the safeties’ aggressive play. The article links to a separate SI piece, “Area on Defense: Turnover Trends in College Football,” which cites Alabama’s safeties as the highest‑turnover creators among all SEC teams.

Hubbard references his own personal statistics from his playing days as a way to illustrate how the defensive strategy has evolved. He notes that while his own tackle numbers were modest, his ability to create turnovers was highly valued. He also reflects on how the current safety roster at Alabama—consisting of a mix of experienced upper‑classmen and promising freshmen—demonstrates the program’s commitment to sustaining high turnover rates.

The Big Picture: How Safeties Contribute to the “Area” Philosophy

The feature’s title—“Area on Defense”—alludes to the concept of “defensive area coverage” used by Alabama. This approach involves dividing the field into zones, with each defensive back responsible for a specific area. Safeties are the largest defenders in terms of coverage responsibility, and their ability to read the offense is crucial. Hubbard stresses that the “area” philosophy is not static; it is continuously refined based on the opponent’s offensive strengths and weaknesses.

The article references a 2021 SI write‑up that delved into the “Area on Defense” concept, noting that Alabama’s coaching staff began to emphasize this method as a way to reduce the opponent’s vertical passing threat. The linked story also includes an interview with offensive coordinator Alex Wood, who explains how Alabama’s offensive schematics try to exploit gaps in the defensive area coverage.

Looking Forward

In the final section, the article turns to the upcoming season and how the safety position will be pivotal. With the departure of key defensive backs like Tre'Quan Smith and a few graduating seniors, the coaching staff will rely on safeties such as Julian Blackmon and freshman prospect Keelan Turner to step into leadership roles. Hubbard, in a candid statement, underscores that the transition will involve not only physical preparation but also the mental readiness to “fit somewhere” in a constantly evolving defensive landscape.

Takeaway

Sports Illustrated’s feature paints a nuanced portrait of the safety position within Alabama’s defense—a role that requires agility, anticipation, and a deep understanding of the “area” coverage philosophy. Through the eyes of former safety Bray Hubbard, readers gain insight into how Alabama’s defensive coordinators and players continuously calibrate their schemes to adapt to any opponent. The article, enriched by links to statistical analyses and broader defensive strategy discussions, underscores the critical role that safeties play as the “glue” that holds the Crimson Tide’s formidable defense together.