Seven years have passed since fans of Alabama football witnessed two athletic, dominant and instinctive linebackers on the field at the same time. For head coach Nick Saban and former Crimson Tide defensive coordinator Kirby Smart (now at Georgia), having both Dont’a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw in Tuscaloosa in 2011 was a dream.
The two four-stars devoured quarterbacks, stuffed running backs and held opposition to an average of 8.2 points per game, which led college football. It was the least amount of points ever surrendered from a Saban coached defense in his tenure, while Hightower and Upshaw finished first and third respectively on the team in tackles.