Nick Saban Praises In-State Senior Leaders on Offense and Defense

The Alabama Crimson Tide could celebrate up to 24 players on Saturday's Senior Day.

When the No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide hosts the UT-Chattanooga Mocs it will the the last game in Bryant-Denny Stadium for the 2023 season and therefore will serve as Senior Day for this class.

The Crimson Tide lists 24 players as senior, redshirt senior or graduate student. You know the names, Will Reichard, Darrian Dalcourt, Seth McLaughlin, Jase McClellan, Jermaine Burton and others. 

Alabama head football coach Nick Saban was asked about two specific players that are likely to be be honored, Hueytown High School alum Roydell Williams and Hewitt-Trussville High School alum Malachi Moore.

Hueytown is 37-miles away from Tuscaloosa, making playing for the Tide a lifelong goal for the versatile running back. 

"Roydell's a great team guy. He's a really good special teams player, great character. I think he loves Alabama, he loves his teammates. He's a really good teammate. Been very productive with every opportunity that he's gotten whether it's to play running back or do something on special teams, be a kickoff returner," said Saban on Wednesday. "He's always the first one to step up. He's always got a smile on his face. I think he's a great example for guys that sort of persevere in their career and overcome obstacles and become very successful because of that. Because I think probably one of the ingredients that you need to have to be successful."

Williams has served as rotational running back and special teams player when he's been active. He unfortunately tore his ACL in the fall of 2021 but has bounced back nicely, even serving as the Tide's number two running back as a senior. He's tallied 1020 yards with eight touchdowns and another 143 yards receiving and two scores out of the backfield in his Alabama career. 

"Like you said, anything you can put your mind to, you can do it. Coming in from Hueytown, only 45 minutes away — 30 if you drive fast enough — just coming here from that close of a distance, it’s meant a lot," said Willams on Tuesday. "My family is able to come down here anytime to see me. Just being around and being local was big for me. I can go home whenever I want sometimes. It’s just amazing, that I’ve been here four years and the journey I’ve been through, it’s been a lot, and I’ve enjoyed every second of it."

As the second tailback this year he's helped the Tide with 415 yards rushing and two scores. He's also got credit for three special teams tackles. Williams was a key piece to ensuring the Tide took the win in an ugly game against South Florida and had a nice rushing output two weeks ago against the LSU Tigers. 

Hewitt-Trussville is almost as close as Hueytown and the Crimson Tide secondary's been equally as bolstered by a former Husky in Malachi Moore. The former SEC All-Freshman Teamer has played in 39 games for the Tide across his four years at multiple different secondary positions. He's in the record book for 130 tackles with 1.5 sacks. He's broken up 16 passes and made five interceptions while forcing and recovering a fumble and taking one for a touchdown. 

"Malachi's always been a guy that we've had a lot of confidence in. We've always had a lot of trust that he's a smart player, can play multiple positions," said Saban. "Every time that he's had to play, he's played extremely well and last year he played mostly in dime when we played dime. This year he's playing all the time safety and star but I've never ever considered Malachi in his entire career, since he's been here as a freshman, as not being a starter and a very good one that we an trust and rely on and go out and do a really good job for us and he's never disappointed us."

Moore had the outstanding freshman year, but then played his sophomore season injured. He was moved around the field in his junior year and, conceded time to current pro Brian Branch, but as a senior and a virtual full-timer on defense again he's tallied 39 tackles, good for eighth on the team,  with four for a loss and an interception.

Of the 24 potential honorees only five are in-state, scholarship, athletes. Moore and Williams are among Quandarrius Robinson, Will Reichard and Kristian Story. There are six other walk-ons from the state but, outside of Reichard and his records, which are numerous and well-documented, no other seniors have contributed more to winning for the Tide in this outgoing group of in-state products than Moore and Williams. 

This class is the final "COVID-19" class, leaving both Moore and Williams among Seth McLaughlin, Tim Smith, Chris Braswell, Quandarrius Robinson and Jermaine Burton as notable players that could return for a bonus year but none of that is set in stone yet. 

Both Moore and Williams played coy when asked about the bonus year. Moore said he was looking forward to Senior Day and not thinking about the NFL yet, while Williams called the upcoming decision a conversation between he and Saban for a later date. 

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