Trevon Diggs credits Minkah Fitzpatrick for helping his transition to DB, plans to do same for Alabama freshmen
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The success of Alabama’s football program isn’t purely based on talent and coaching, it is aided by the willingness of the great players in the program to pass along their knowledge to the younger generation. That’s something junior defensive back Trevon Diggs touched on during his Wednesday media availability.
This time last season, Diggs was entering his first fall camp as a defensive back after beginning his Alabama career at receiver. The switch to the other side of the ball has been relatively smooth for Diggs, at least he made it look that way, by putting in the work necessary to play in Nick Saban’s secondary. Of course, known for coaching defensive backs, Saban can be very demanding of his secondary.
To help ease Diggs’ transition, Minkah Fitzpatrick took the former receiver under his wing to help facilitate the move. That’s something Diggs touched on during his Wednesday media availability.
“Practicing with Minkah before the games, it helped me a lot,” Diggs admitted. “Even before the games or after practice, me and Minkah would go to the sandpit work our feet, stuff like that. Little things helped me keep carrying that over. He was teaching me more stuff that I can teach the young guys the same thing.”
The time with Alabama’s All-American DB was likely invaluable to Diggs and he understands that he now has the knowledge and the responsibility to pass that information onto the team’s young defensive backs if they are expected to contribute immediately this season. Considering the losses on the back end of Alabama’s defense this offseason, many freshmen will undoubtedly be forced onto the field at some point for the Tide.
While Diggs didn’t single any of the freshmen out, he did say he was impressed with what he’s seen so with training camp heating up in Tuscaloosa.
“They are looking good, working hard, I like them a lot. All of them, a lot,” Diggs said. “They work hard, don’t say too much they just get to work and do what they are supposed to do.”
The junior added one final thought on the freshman and noted if he can help them ease their learning curve, as Fitzpatrick once did for him, he is going to do it. He did note, however, that he can only show them so much and that they must put in the work to be successful.
“I wouldn’t want them to go through the same thing I went thru so I’m trying to take all of them and tell them what to do, the right things to do,” Diggs continued. “I can show them but it’s up to them to do it at the end of the day.”
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
