Alabama football defensive coordinator Kane Wommack learned the lesson years ago from his dad, Dave.

Takeaways are almost like muscle memory.

“You have to continue to preach it,” Wommack said. “You have to continue to drill it.”

So Wommack does, and he has. Again and again and again. As a result, the No. 7 Crimson Tide has become one of the nation’s best at taking the ball away from the opposing offense.

Alabama has grabbed at least three takeaways in five consecutive games. The Crimson Tide (8-2, 4-2 SEC) is averaging 2.4 takeaways per game, ranked No. 3 in the country.

That’s one more takeaway per game than a season ago (1.4 per game, which ranked 58th nationally). In 2022, Alabama averaged 1.1 takeaways per game. In 2021, 1.3. Even in 2020, the most recent national championship season, the defense averaged fewer takeaways: 1.7 per game.

Did Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer see this coming when he hired Wommack?

“Yeah, I did,” DeBoer said. “I think, with the nature of some of the things that he really liked to do, and I think this year for Kane there’s been a been a combination of trying to incorporate what you’ve done in the past, but also adjusting to your personnel and maybe where your strengths are with our defense right now.”

And creating a constant emphasis on takeaways.

Every practice, Alabama’s defense takes part in a takeaway circuit. Wommack said that started in spring ball then continued in fall camp and on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during practice during the season.

There are six different drills. Each one has a different point of emphasis. One might be interceptions. Another, punching the ball out. Another, raking at the quarterback. If there’s a way to take the ball away from the offense, Alabama’s defense is practicing it.

“What happens is, all of a sudden, you do those drills day in and day out, and then you go to scout-team periods and you say, ‘OK, this period right here, we’re not going to work on tackling, we’re going to work on punching the ball out. I don’t want to see any wrap-ups,” Wommack said. “All I want to see is you punching the ball out.‘”

If Alabama players aren’t doing it enough, Wommack will let them know. Loudly. That goes for interceptions, too.

“If we’re dropping too many picks at practice, he’ll get onto us for that too just because it’s money we’re leaving on the floor,” safety Malachi Moore said.

Buy-in from the players has been key. It’s not just about reps but also mindset. Alabama’s defense puts value on getting the ball.

“That changes the whole narrative of the game,” linebacker Jihaad Campbell said. “That gets the offense on the field to score points. That’s football right there. That shows grit. That shows toughness.”

A sack is good, but a strip sack is much better. A deflected pass is good, but an interception is better. A tackle for a loss is good, but forcing a fumble is better.

Wommack has drilled that, and the players have taken it to heart.

“When Domani Jackson comes off the edge on a corner fire, he thinks, ‘Oh, I have a chance to knock this ball out,’ and that’s the exact same drill he’s been doing for nine months now, is punching the ball in that exact moment,” Wommack said.

Consider it muscle memory.

Alabama has developed it, which became clear the past few games. Now, the Crimson Tide will look to further the takeaway success on Saturday (6:30 p.m., ABC) in Norman against Oklahoma.

“It’s becoming the identity of who we are as a team,” Wommack said. “That has to continue moving forward.”

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.