Coaches: Pettway a model kid at East Mississippi CC
East Mississippi Community College defensive coordinator Jordan Lesley was ready to ask his newest player, D.J. Pettway, about the troubled road that led him to a dismissal at Alabama, an abrupt drop off the college football radar and into his meeting room in tiny Scooba, Miss.
But Lesley never had a chance to ask.
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"The first thing he said to me without any questions being asked is 'Coach, I made a mistake, I was wrong.' He took full responsibility for it without me bringing up that situation," Lesley said. "That told me all I needed to know about the type of kid he was.
"A lot of times kids choose to deny, deny, deny. DJ said 'I was wrong. I've embarrassed my family, I've embarrassed the University of Alabama, I've embarrassed myself,' without me saying a word. And that's the only time we ever talked about that situation."
Pettway, a member of Alabama's 2011 class out of Pensacola (Fla.) Catholic High, played a role on Alabama's 2012 national championship team. He played in 13 games and registered seven tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Less than two months after the title run, Pettway was one of four players suspended indefinitely by head coach Nick Saban due to involvement in the alleged robbery of two UA students.
Pettway, who admitted involvement in the crimes according to depositions filed UA police officers, was charged with two counts of second-degree robbery. Because Pettway was granted youthful offender status, the outcome of his case was not made public.
All four players were eventually dismissed from the team. But after one season at EMCC, Pettway is on his way back. He signed a letter of intent on Wednesday and is expected to enroll at UA in January.
Pettway did not return phone calls seeking comment on Wednesday.
After his dismissal, Pettway spent the 2013 season at EMCC and helped the Lions to the 2013 NJCAA national championship. According to his junior college coaches, Pettway was anything but a distraction.
"We never had an issue with D.J., not one single thing," Lesley said. "He knew what he had to do, he knew the situation he was in, he was fully aware of everything."
It also didn't take long for Pettway to make his impression felt on campus.
"A lot of times, at junior colleges, (players leaving bigger schools) can go one of two ways," Lesley said. "He could look over at everybody, keep to himself, turn his nose up and know the caliber of player he is, or you can do what DJ did, take a step back from what he was a part of, look at the whole spectrum, take it for what it is and make the very best out of it. That's what he did. He came in, worked his tail off, helped younger guys. DJ Pettway did as much coaching as we did."
Said DeCarlos Holmes, Pettway's defensive line coach at EMCC: "He was receptive, he went to class, did everything he was supposed to do, didn't get in trouble, he was a model kid here. I told him his effort would come back to him and it came back to him."
Pettway excelled at EMCC, earning All-American honors. He tallied 47 tackles and 11.5 sacks while sharing the same side of the line with defensive tackle Jarran Reed, who also signed with Alabama on Wednesday.
"(Pettway) was real receptive to some of the things I tried to change up with him, and like I told him, if he listened and took it all in, he'd be a better player if he had an opportunity to go back," Holmes said. "He did. He took everything in, he didn't have the attitude like, 'Well, I've been at Alabama so whatever you teach me is not better than that.' He was really receptive, and man, he just flourished in our system."
Pettway lined up all over the Lions' front seven, getting snaps in certain packages at nose guard, defensive tackle and outside linebacker outside of his traditional spot at defensive end.
So how good could Pettway be?
"Playing wise? Just watch the film, it speaks for itself," Lesley said.
Lesley considers Pettway a shoo-in NFL prospect with an unlimited ceiling.
"What round, that's obviously up to him and how hard he works. But at his full potential, when he puts his mind to it, you're looking at a first-or second-round pick, there's no question about it. There's nothing on the defensive side of the ball he can't do."
After a year out of the spotlight proving himself in Scooba, Pettway now has another chance to make a splash.
"He's a joy to be around, he's a joy to watch, it's really a joy more than anything to watch him grow as a young man, accept responsibility and put it behind him." Lesley said. "I think that's the hardest thing for anyone to do. Put it behind you and move on, and that's exactly what he did. And it was definitely our pleasure to have him here."
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