Anfernee Jennings is doing plenty to return to form following a season-ending knee injury in 2017 that kept him out of the national championship in early 2018.

The Alabama linebacker had 51 tackles, including 14 for a loss, 6.5 sacks and a team-high 11 pass breakups a year ago. That kind of production comes from plenty of preparation and focus off the field, according to Pete Golding, the Crimson Tide defensive coordinator.

“When you talk about an Alabama defense, just watching it and studying it over the years, when you watch it, it’s a relentless effort,” Golding said at a Saturday press conference. “It’s guys that are just mentally tough, regardless of whether it’s a tackle for a loss, or he missed the tackle. How he lines up, how he plays the next play. Then it’s the physical toughness part of it, when you play Alabama and you see that on tape, how physical those guys are. That doesn’t start on Saturday. That’s done every day, and that’s Anfernee Jennings to me.”

The setting or scenario doesn’t seem to change Jennings’ effort and attentiveness.

“Whether it’s individual, whether it’s team run. Whether we’re going 11-on-11 or it’s Saturday, it’s the same speed. He’s got the most focus in the meetings. His attention to detail, he busts his butt, and it shows up on Saturday,” Golding said. “To me, he’s got out what he’s put in. It’s invaluable to have a guy like that, that is a good player, … that day in and day out, he’s the hardest working guy, it goes a long, long way. His hard work, his dedication, I think that builds into his leadership, and I think he now has the ability to hold other people accountable, because he does everything what he’s supposed to do.”

In the College Football Playoff last season, he had a sack against Oklahoma and 3.5 tackles for a loss against Clemson.