Alabama has had to lean on a few young players in the secondary this season. Freshman cornerback Zabien Brown was thrown into the fire as a starter in his first college season. Brown has responded excellently. The Mater Dei (Calif.) product has played over 500 snaps and logged 12 tackles, two pass breakups, one interception and a scoop-and-score this season.
Other freshmen defensive backs, including Jaylen Mbakwe and Zavier Mincey, have also found ways to make an impact in their first seasons dawning an Alabama uniform. The performances of the Tide’s crop of young DBs suggest a promising future at the position under first-year coach Kalen DeBoer.
For defensive backs coach Maurice Linguist, the trio's ability to see the field early and perform well against elite competition was all part of a long-term plan since their arrival.
“If you look at how we talked about Zabien and how we talked about Bak and how we’ve talked about Mincey — we talked about a plan for development since the day they’ve gotten here,” Linguist said. “Early on in the season, you look at Western Kentucky, South Florida. What I’m most proud about those guys is you’ve seen their game improve throughout the season. You see Zabien Brown be very steady as a true freshman to go out there in the SEC he’s holding his own and he’s doing a really good job for us.”
Alabama’s freshman defensive backs aren’t just setting the done for the position group heading into next season. They’re also providing a blueprint and giving Linguist a great example of what opportunities can be earned for potential recruits.
All season long high school defensive backs have visited Alabama. Potential defensive back targets watched Brown get the game-winning interception against Georgia and a scoop-and-score against Missouri. They watched Mbakwe pick off a pass against Tennessee and become an option at returner and watched Mincey transition from cornerback to safety to see more playing time in his first season.
“All you can do as a coach is try to give them the information and tools that they need to go out there and be successful, but the players gotta do it,” Linguist said. “The players gotta want it. He’s gotta go out there and put in the work. And I think they’re great guys that can be examples that can be worthy of emulation. ‘Hey, look at these three guys. Look at what they came in here and did.’”
Brown, Mincey and Mbakwe will soon go from the youngest members of Alabama’s secondary to players who will have to set the example and lead another group of talented defensive backs hoping to make as strong of an impact as the Tide’s current first-year players. Under former coach Nick Saban, Alabama had a premium of elite corners and safties thanks to his emphasis on coaching and recruiting the position.
Linguist is hoping to keep that trend going with DeBoer now at the helm. Alabama currently has three top-100 defensive backs — Dijon Lee Jr., Chuck McDonald and Ivan Taylor — committed. All three players are projected to be strong options at the next level and they have undoubtedly been watching what Alabama’s current crop of freshmen have done this season.
The Tide’s current freshmen DBs have set the room up for success in the future. The group has laid the foundation for the next crop of freshmen to succeed while also creating a strong recruiting pitch to recruits even further down the line, who might consider the Tide as a top option given the opportunities it affords to freshmen in the secondary.
“Now when you look at the new recruits coming in here pretty soon, you have a proven example,” Linguist said. “We have a blueprint in place that if you follow this plan and you put in the work, great things are gonna happen.”
