While a 9-3 record and a ReliaQuest Bowl appearance instead of a College Football Playoff bid isn’t what Alabama football fans expected, this team should be remembered for the players who stayed when others left.
This season didn’t meet the lofty expectations Alabama fans have grown accustomed to. A 9-3 record and a non-playoff bowl game might feel like a huge disappointment, especially given the program’s history and high standards.
A 9-3 regular season marks the worst result in 14 years for the Crimson Tide. However, in nearly two decades, this has been one of the few “down years” for the program.
New head coach Kalen DeBoer and his staff will always be compared to the legendary Nick Saban, who left a legacy larger than even Bear Bryant’s. While fans can rightfully feel disappointment about the season’s outcomes and hope for more from the team moving forward, this squad should be remembered for its leadership. They may not have had the results on the field that fans hoped for, but they were the ones who stayed and bridged the gap between the past and the future—those who chose to be part of Alabama football beyond just the NIL opportunities.
In the current pay-for-play era, that commitment is rare.
Particularly, the team captains deserve recognition for their dedication. These are the players whose names will forever be etched in Alabama’s history, like their hands in cement at Denny Chimes.
- Malachi Moore, the fifth-year senior and one of the few remaining from the 2020 national championship team. Despite his emotional outburst against Vanderbilt, Moore’s love for Alabama was clear, showing just how much he cared about the team, fans, and university.
- Deontae Lawson, the redshirt junior who gave everything on the field, even suffering a knee injury in the Oklahoma game. Lawson went from leading Saban’s defense to mentoring younger players in a new system under Kane Wommack.
- Tyler Booker, the fierce junior guard known for his intensity and leadership. Booker played with passion and held his teammates accountable, vowing to play in a non-playoff bowl game, a rare commitment in today’s era when many top players opt out to protect their draft stock.
- Jalen Milroe, the polarizing quarterback who faced more criticism than most starters in recent memory. Despite leading Alabama to a 21-5 record over two seasons, Milroe was often the target of harsh fan scrutiny. However, he helped keep the team together, earning respect from the locker room and staying committed to Alabama, even when other programs might have been a better fit for his skillset.
Regardless of the outcome in the ReliaQuest Bowl, this team and its leaders will be remembered for their love and loyalty to Alabama. They could have transferred, like many others, but they chose to stay. For that, they deserve our admiration.
