ATLANTA – Heading into Saturday night’s season-opening showdown with Florida State in Atlanta, Alabama’s defense was supposed to be inexperienced and untested. With seven defensive starters from last year’s unit selected in the NFL Draft, duplicating or exceeding last year’s success seemed like a nearly impossible feat.

But as the game worn on, the Tide defense, one loaded with former elite recruits, worn down the Seminoles offensive line and brutalized quarterback Deondre Francois, eventually knocking him out of the game late in the fourth quarter. With the game very much still in the balance, the ‘Noles possessions in second half essentially went nowhere, with the four punts sandwiched around a trio of turnovers.

Just nine months ago household names like Rueben Foster and Jonathan Allen were chasing around Deshaun Watson in the National Championship Game as Alabama came one defensive stop away from winning it all. Saturday it was new full-time starters Shaun Dion Hamilton and Da’Ron Payne playing the role of disrupters, supplemented by former five-stars like freshman Dylan Moses and sophomore Mack Wilson.

At pretty much every program in America, losing multiple high draft picks on one side the ball would lead to a step back, but after a decade of dominance for the Tide, it’s filling the shoes of stars is becoming old hat. Even some of the Tide’s veterans weren’t surprised with how well the unit played.

“The young guys came in and what they were supposed to do,” said Payne, now a junior and a five-star in the 2015 class. “And it turned out well. We knew they had talent but it’s all about how you respond when the lights come on and they did that.”

As usual Alabama coach Nick Saban held back from universally praising his defense, pointing to a few busted coverages that weren’t exploited by Florida State and at one point singling out Moses for merely recovering a blocked punt, not scooping it up and returning it for a touchdown.

“The blocked punt was good scheme based on their protection and how they protect,” Saban said of the Damien Harris’ third quarter blocked put that was part of the onslaught that ultimately turned the game. ”Should have scooped it and scored it instead of falling on it, but sometimes freshmen are freshmen.”

Saban’s quest for perfection from his players, even guys who were playing high school ball last year at this time, has rubbed off on the leaders of the defense, who were also unsatisfied with showing.

“We did OK,” Hamilton said. “We held them to seven points and we got the win but we have room for improvement. Everyone did their job – all eleven guys. We have to do better at practice this week.”

It’s hard to imagine what better will look like for Alabama, which hosts Fresno State in Tuscaloosa next week. But much like the way new names emerged for the Tide in its season-opener, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the team improve as the season moves along, which is a scary thought for the rest of college football.