TUSCALOOSA, Ala. _ The player who benefitted the most from the return of University of Alabama weakside linebacker Trey DePriest was all smiles on Monday afternoon.
“Oh yeah,” junior middle linebacker Reggie Ragland said. “I didn’t have to make as many calls so it helped me out a whole lot.”
Although there were numerous factors in play, including Florida Atlantic being without its starting quarterback, Alabama’s defense went up giving up 393 total yards and a passing touchdown in its opener against West Virginia, to yielding 145 and notching a shutout against the Owls.
The two big changes in terms of personnel were the return of DePriest from a one-game suspension imposed by the NCAA, and sophomore cornerback Eddie Jackson made his first start after having knee surgery in April.
Both players made it big difference, although it didn’t always show in the statistics.
“I was very comfortable to finally have the leader of the defense back out there and he’s lining everybody up the way they’re supposed to be lined up,” Ragland said. “It was very relaxing.”
“Everyone was talking more and Trey was making sure everybody was getting to the ball, hustling and communicating.”
When they first played together with the first-unit on A-Day, Alabama’s final scrimmage of the spring, Ragland led all players with 10 tackles, including 2.5 for a loss and had an interception.
Without DePriest in the season opener against West Virginia, Ragland was credited with six tackles, but that was tied for fourth on the team. This past Saturday he had five tackles in the game shortened by inclement weather, which again led the Crimson Tide.
“Trey DePriest played really well in the game,” Coach Nick Saban said. “He’s practiced well. I think because the time that he missed in practice when he was injured in camp, we’re trying to increase his reps and keep pushing him so that his conditioning level and ability to sustain is going to be what it needs to be down the road.”
Meanwhile, Jackson emphatically announced his return when he made an open-field tackle to drop a receiver out of the backfield for a loss.
“He’s definitely one of our more physical DBs,” junior cornerback Cyrus Jones said. “Definitely doesn’t shy away from contact,”
After tallying four tackles, with FAU completing only two passes his direction for 16 yards — one for no gain and the other resulting in a fumble forced by Jackson — coaches named him one of Alabama’s players of the week.
“Definitely a guy who is a ball hawk, likes to be around the ball,” Jones said. “Long, lean guy so he makes it hard for receivers to get off the line.
“I thought Eddie played well. He’s another of those guys who is a competitor who wants to go out there and play to the best of his ability. He loves the game. I didn’t expect him to play any less than what he did.”
Alabama will host Southern Miss on Saturday (6 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
Christopher Walsh has covered Alabama football since 2004 and is the author of 19 books. In his free time, he writes about college football.
