TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama’s defense is officially on the board. It took 10 games and nearly two dozen turnovers, but the Crimson Tide’s Swarm D finally found the end zone during Saturday’s 52-7 victory over Mercer.

No. 10 Alabama (8-2) entered the weekend leading the SEC with 21 takeaways. However, unlike recent years, the Tide wasn’t able to turn any of those into points.

That changed early in the second quarter on Saturday when freshman cornerback Zabien Brown scooped up a loose ball and scooted 68 yards down the right sideline.

The play came after Mercer quarterback Whitt Newbauer completed a short pass over the middle to receiver Parker Wroble. The Bears appeared to be on their way to a big gain, as Wroble broke a tackle from cornerback Domani Jackson before making it to the Tide's 40-yard line.

That’s when he collided with defensive back DaShawn Jones, who jarred the ball out with his helmet, allowing Brown to scoop it up at the Alabama 32. Brown instantly avoided a leg tackle before making his way to the right sideline. From there he followed a convoy of blockers, striding untouched to the end zone.

“Those are exciting,” DeBoer said when asked about the Tide's first non-offensive score of the season. “The guys talk about it. When they come up short and they think they had a chance to score, they always hear about ‘You should have kept the ball on this sideline or cut back.’ For us to get him in the end zone on that long return, it was something that’s exciting for the whole team.”

The play earned Brown Alabama’s turnover belt as well as some bragging rights among the defense. The Tide’s drought of defensive touchdowns had stirred up a friendly competition between the unit over who would be the first defender to score this season.

“I thought I was going to be the first one to get it, for real,” said Alabama edge rusher Qua Russaw, who recorded his second interception of the season earlier in the game. “I thought I was going to get a pick-six. We’ve been wanting that defensive touchdown for a little minute now. We’ve been talking about it.”

Instead, it was Brown who jubilantly shouted, ‘I got it, I got it,’ on his way back to the Alabama bench.

Russaw nearly came up with the fumble recovery himself, diving for the ball before it bounced into Brown’s hands. Looking back, he’s happy the speedy cornerback came up with the recovery instead

“I actually was going to fall on the ball, but he picked it up,” Russaw said. “I was like, ‘Oh, hold on now.’ The guys were just really happy after that.”

Jihaad Campbell knows the feeling of finding the end zone inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. The junior linebacker had a scoop-and-score last year against Tennessee when he returned a fumble 24 yards for a touchdown. Saturday, he was just happy to play a role in Brown securing his first career touchdown.

“It’s good for Zabien, too because he hasn’t scored yet,” Campbell said. “I’m extremely proud of that guy and all the hard work that he’s been doing so far.”

Mercer’s completion wouldn’t have counted as Cambell was held by his facemask on his way to rushing the passer. The linebacker claims the rest of the play was all a bit of a blur after that. However, he did do a nice job of shielding off a Mercer player to help clear the way for Brown.

After missing a tackle earlier in the play, Jackson also came up big on the play, providing the crucial block that sprung Brown free for good at the Mercer 42-yard line.

“I seen him with the ball, and I had a lineman, had to make the block for him,” Jackson said. “I cut up down the sideline, and once he cut up behind my block I knew it was a touchdown.”

Brown’s fumble return was Alabama’s third takeaway of the day and its 16th in the last five games. The Crimson Tide now has forced 24 turnovers on the season five more than it forced all of last season.

“I like where we’re at,” DeBoer said. “We’re hunting the ball.”

And now, the Tide’s scoring as well.