Alabama Crimson Tide 4-3 Defense (1999) - Ellis Johnson

Laurens Ellis Johnson is a former American football coach. He served as the defensive coordinator at the University of Southern Mississippi from 2012 to 2014, the University of South Carolina from 2015 to 2016, the University of Georgia from 2017 to 2018, and the University of Mississippi from 2020 to 2021.

Johnson was born in Winnsboro, South Carolina, and played college football at Gardner–Webb University. He then spent several years as a high school coach in South Carolina.

The 1999 Alabama Crimson football team, led by head coach Mike DuBose, competed in NCAA Division I-A (now known as the Football Bowl Subdivision) and was a part of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

The 4-3 defense is a defensive scheme commonly used in American football. It's characterized by four defensive linemen, three linebackers, and four defensive backs. Each of these positions has specific responsibilities, and the scheme is designed to be versatile and adaptable to different offensive formations and strategies.

Ellis Johnson served as the defensive coordinator for the 1999 Alabama Crimson Tide football team, and he likely employed variations of the 4-3 defense during his tenure. Here are some key features and aspects of the 4-3 defense.

It's important to note that while Ellis Johnson may have employed the 4-3 defense in 1999, defensive strategies and schemes can evolve and change based on personnel and game situations. Coaches often make adjustments to suit their team's strengths and to counteract the strengths of their opponents. Therefore, specific details of how the 4-3 defense was used by Ellis Johnson in the 1999 Alabama Crimson football team would depend on the specific context of that season.