Nick Saban set the tone for this morning by letting the press know that he felt this team was ‘one of the youngest we have ever had.’ It did not take long for his players to be asked about this declaration, too.
Within the first 30 seconds of sitting down behind the microphone, Minkah was asked about Saban’s quote and whether or not he put that on his shoulders for the upcoming season to become a leader.
“I’ve been playing for the last two seasons and I’ve been a starter since I got here,” answered Fitzpatrick, “so I feel like the younger guys should be able to come to me and look at me, and see what to do and how it is supposed to get done. I know I’m not the most vocal guy, but it’s kind of a challenge from Coach Saban and Coach Cochran for me to step outside of my comfort zone and do that a little bit more.”
The 6-1 defensive back started at safety last season for the first time in his career and put up elite numbers: 66 tackles, 5.5 for a loss, 1.5 sacks, seven pass deflections, six interceptions, and two touchdowns.
“I’m a quiet guy, but I just do things how it’s supposed to be done and lead by example. I just got to step out of my comfort zone.”
While he certainly had a low voice and quiet demeanor, he makes a lot of noise with the way he plays on the field. He stepped out of his comfort zone last year moving from cornerback to safety, and this year he could do the same thing by being a more vocal leader in the Tide’s secondary.
If he settles in as a leader, the secondary could easily be the strongest position group on the defense. Averett, Minkah, and Harrison is a lethal combination in the defensive back field.
Jake Weaver is a lead writer for TD Alabama Magazine and Bama Hoops Hype. You can contact him via phone at 205-612-5060, or on Twitter @JWeaver_TDALMag
