Alabama football signed a top-ranked recruiting class for 2019 and a trio of players – DJ Dale, Shane Lee and Christian Harris – made their mark as starters in a 42-3 win over Duke.
Lee got the start at middle “Mike” linebacker with the injury to Dylan Moses, while Dale lined up at nose tackle and Harris started at weakside “Will” linebacker. All three guys made their presence felt, as they assisted the Crimson Tide to allowing just 204 total yards offensively and three points to the Blue Devils. Duke’s head coach, David Cutcliffe, watched his group muster just 107 yards rushing on 32 carries (3.3 yards per carry) against a fierce Alabama front line.
Lee and Harris combined for 12 tackles – six each – and Lee recorded a critical stop on a fourth down play with short yardage to go. As for Dale, he had three total tackles – including half a tackle for loss and shared Defensive Lineman of the Week honors from the Southeastern Conference with Jonathan Greenard of the Florida Gators.
These three individuals not only impressed Nick Saban, but in speaking with LaBryan Ray (defensive end) in player interviews, the junior was proud of the freshmen trio.
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“They want to learn,” Ray said of the freshmen on Tuesday.
“They realize things very quickly, so for them, they can take care of themselves. They are doing their jobs and doing it to the best of their abilities. They are young, but they are talented. They are talented. They’re fast, intelligent and it’s always good to play with guys like that.”
When it comes to Dale in particular, Ray shares the same sentiment as his head coach.
“Even though he is a freshman, he does not play like one,” Ray said of Dale.
“That is one thing that stands out about him. He notices things really fast. He is one of those guys who is really smart and he catches on to techniques really quickly.”
Many people thought this class would be Saban’s best one yet, and thus far guys have lived up to the billing. The trio of freshmen are now preparing for Alabama’s home opener this weekend against New Mexico State at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
