TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama wasn’t only without its starting quarterback Saturday night, it was also missing its top tackler. Fifth-year senior Jaylen Moody sat out the Crimson Tide’s 24-20 victory over Texas A&M as redshirt freshman Deontae Lawson filled in for him at the Will linebacker position.

“Moody had a bruised kidney,” Nick Saban revealed after the game. “Until he clears, which he’s gradually doing that — we thought it would happen more quickly than it did, but it hasn’t. Hopefully, he’ll be back.”

Moody started Alabama’s previous five games this season. He entered Saturday night tied for the team lead with 33 tackles. Of those, he has 4.5 tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks to go with a quarterback hurry.

Saturday, Lawson proved to be a capable replacement, recording five stops while serving as a key figure in an Alabama defense that held Texas A&M to 323 yards, including just 70 on the ground.

“I thought Deontae did a pretty good job out there, actually,” Saban said. “He’s a good player, and we have a lot of confidence in him.”

Lawson saw time in just four games last season after joining Alabama as the No. 2 inside linebacker in the 2021 class. Through six appearances this season, the four-star defender has recorded 25 tackles, including .5 for a loss with a pass breakup.

“D-Law, he’s a great linebacker,” safety DeMarcco Hellams said earlier this week. “He’s young, but he doesn’t approach the game young. He prepares just like everyone else would and he’s done a great job this year of being prepared whenever his name is called.”

No. 1 Alabama (6-0, 3-0 in the SEC) will travel to No. 8 Tennessee (5-0, 2-0) next week for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff Saturday inside Neyland Stadium. The game will be televised on CBS.