BamaOnLine.com - Column: Deaderick's presence nothing short of amazing

September 6, 2009

Christopher Walsh
BamaOnLine.com Senior Writer

When the moment came and the gun was being pointed at him, University of Alabama senior defensive end Brandon Deaderick didn't think. He didn't have time to.

It might have saved his life.

"Nothing goes through your mind," Deaderick said. "You react, that's what you do."

Saturday night, a lot of people both in the Georgia Dome and around the country were wondering what on earth Deaderick was thinking playing for the Crimson Tide against Virginia Tech just five days after getting shot during a failed carjacking.

The physical wound was still open, but well protected, while the emotional one had a long way to go too. Yet there was No. 95 in the Georgia Dome, enjoying the season-opening 34-24 victory as if it was the greatest win of his football career.

"Words cannot describe how fortunate I am," he said afterward. "I could have been in a wheelchair or a funeral home instead of a dome right now. I just took advantage of the opportunity."

While Tide has been through an emotional gauntlet of late, with everything from the announcement of NCAA probation for the textbook scandal, to sophomores Julio Jones and Mark Ingram nearly getting suspended for receiving what the NCAA called an impermissible benefit (and Jerrell Harris not being as fortunate), all that paled in comparison to how close Deaderick came to losing his life.

Actually, Deaderick did have an initial thought about the robbery in the Rivermont Apartments parking lot, that it was some sort or prank.

"When we pulled up I saw a guy come up from the side, tried to get the car, and by the time I realized it was for real all I could do was try and go for the gun," said the 6-foot-4, 306-pound Deaderick. "It's probably in my best interest that I did that because as I was knocking the gun down (the bullet) hit me in the forearm and went into my hip."

Amazingly, it didn't strike any bones or do any major nerve damage. The team's medical staff compared it to stepping on a big nail and cleared him to play once he was able. Coach Nick Saban didn't want to take the chance, but Deaderick practiced and asked to suit up.

"The way he looked in practice, it was as if nothing had happened to him," said senior nose guard Terrence Cody, who called Deaderick's presence "big."

Although Alabama could have given itself a huge emotional lift by having him come off the bench to wild ovation, Deaderick's first play was the opposite, the point-after conversion following Virginia Tech's 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. He joined the defense for the first time with 3 minutes remaining in the first quarter and was credited with a tackle.

It left many taking the "Superman wears Tim Tebow pajamas" joke and inserting Deaderick's name.

"Crazy," former NFL MVP Shaun Alexander said. "It's getting hard in Tuscaloosa, huh?
"That's amazing. Anything dramatic like that pulls a team together. I'm not saying someone should shoot another one of my players, but I think we're going to be all right."

Which was one of the things learned here Saturday night, that this is already a mighty tough team and not just physically.
"This team responded better to adversity in this game than we ever have," Coach Nick Saban said.

But even better than the win was seeing Deaderick walk off the field with his teammates, relishing the moment and taking it all in.

"I got an opportunity tonight to do what I love tonight and I was healthy enough to do it," he said. "So I went out there and wanted to help my team. We've been together five years now, we've bled together and sweat together through the offseason program.

"I just want to take every day and life it up to its potential. I want to take the time to focus on the little things."

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