Alabama DL Justin Eboigbe Reflects on Progress One Year Out from Neck Injury

In his fifth year, Eboigbe is having by far his best season with the Crimson Tide.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — One year ago, Justin Eboigbe had to watch from afar as his team lost to Tennessee and LSU after suffering a season-ending neck injury earlier in the season. 

Now, a year later, Eboigbe is back in the starting lineup for the Crimson Tide and had several big moments, including 1.5 tackles for loss, in last Saturday's 34-20 victory over Tennessee. 

After the game, the redshirt senior defensive lineman tweeted, "If only you knew where I was this time last year."

Great Win…If Only You Knew Where I Was This Time Last Year

— Justin Eboigbe (@JustinEboigbe) October 21, 2023

In the middle of Alabama's bye week on Wednesday, Eboigbe spoke on how far he's come in a year. 

"This time last year, just recently had surgery, still up in the air of whether I’d be able to play again, seeing my brothers out there and not being able to get the job done in Knoxville," Eboigbe said. "To be out there on the field with them, to get that get back with them in a sense and just being able to go out there each day and work for what I’ve been working for since I was five years old and just see how far I’ve come from a situation that was up in the air and just seeing how things have changed in a year’s time.”

In his fifth year, Eboigbe is having by far the best season of his career at Alabama. This season, he his third on the team in tackles for loss (5.5) and sacks (3.) Overall, he's been a big part of a successful defense front that has caused a ton of disruption for opposing quarterbacks. 

Eboigbe had the arguably the play of the game in Alabama's win at Texas A&M. His fourth-quarter sack of Max Johnson was the safety that put the Crimson Tide up by two scores at the time, which turned out to be huge when the Aggies drove down the field on the next drive and had to settle for a field goal. Alabama held on to win 26-20. 

The defensive lineman already has 38 tackles this season through eight games, good for seventh on the team. His previous season-best in tackles was 19 in both 2020 and 2021. Eboigbe has more sacks this season alone than his previous four seasons combined. 

Junior outside linebacker Dallas Turner said it's been great to have Eboigbe's veteran presence along the defensive front. 

"He’s surrounded by a young group at defensive line as well, so he can lead them in the right direction, tell them what’s right from wrong, give them tips and be a good brother," Turner said. "It’s also good to have a guy like that on the line of scrimmage because he knows his stuff. He’s smart, so he communicates and we can be on the same page about a lot of things."

Alabama has also been boosted on the defensive front by the emergence of Tim Smith and Tim Keenan. Smith is on pace to surpass his career high in tackles, and Keenan has flown past it. All the guys will be important for the last third of the season, but especially for the upcoming game against LSU next Saturday as Alabama prepares for the highest scoring offense in the country. 

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