Anywhere Christian Robinson has coached, he has stressed to his players the importance of hunting as one.

It makes the Alabama football assistant the perfect coach to instruct and lead the new position in the defense called Wolf.

“Just to have that, it kind of gives us some things in terms of pass rush we talk about,” Robinson said. “We’ve got to go hunt together.”

The term arrived with new defensive coordinator Kane Wommack. New coach Kalen DeBoer hired Wommack when DeBoer took over for Nick Saban in the offseason. Wommack has brought with him his “Swarm” defense and as a result, the Wolf position and Bandit.

“It’s pretty fun,” Q Robinson said of the new defense. “I’m not going to lie. It’s not that hard to learn either. It’s all about getting to the quarterback. Getting the quarterback off the spot.”

Here’s an explanation of both new positions.

The Wolf position

The Wolf spot uses players who would have been edge rushers in Saban’s defenses. It’s why defenders such as Q Robinson and Keanu Koht are two of the top names at the position.

“I’d say, nothing different in terms of what we’re looking for in what we’re in terms of recruiting,” Robinson said. “I’d say just maybe a couple more individual scheme fit things in how Coach Wommack would want to move that guy around, maybe a little bit differently than Coach Saban did. I think our guys are liking that it has opened up some things they maybe didn’t do in the past, but they’re still doing a lot of the same techniques that you saw Dallas (Turner) and Will Anderson do in the past as well.”

Robinson said these players still have to be impactful in the run game and as pass rushers.

“We’re looking for a pretty athletic guy that can do a range of at the end of the line, off the ball,” Robinson said.

Other players who worked with Robinson and Koht at Wolf during the viewing period of practice on Thursday included Qua Russaw, Yhonzae Pierre, Noah Carter, Jayshawn Ross, Lane Whisenhunt and Noland Asberry.

The Bandit position

This spot goes to a defender who’s somewhat of a hybrid defensive lineman/edge rusher. Two of the top names at the spot are Jah-Marien Latham and LT Overton.

Latham, a defensive end under Saban, said he’s still lining up on the outside of the tackle.

“The only thing I probably do a little bit more now … is dropping into zone,” Latham said. “That’s something I’ve had to work on over the summer, just trying to get used to dropping into different zones.”

Latham didn’t drop at all under Saban. He just remained on the edge. Now, he might drop more into zone coverage to cover a hook or throw to the flat. Wommack uses the Bandit more in dropping scenarios.

Despite more coverage, Latham said he didn’t change his weight much. He was already 280 coming into the spring and he just wanted to stay above 275 so he could still play the run.

“It’s just learning zone integrity, like knowing what zone I’ve got to be in,” Latham said. “Who’s behind me, who’s inside of me or outside of me. It hasn’t been too much of a big adjustment. Just staying on the little things and making sure I know the ins and outs of the defense.”

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer forAL.com and the Alabama Media Group.Follow him on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.