Tommy Stevens of Mississippi State was the victim on a play that carried four years of pent-up frustration.
It took a while, but Alabama fans never gave up on him. They constantly showed concern for him on social media. People went back to watching old high school clips of him, in prayer that he would finally break through.
On last week, he made his mark on college football.
A native of Gordo, Ala., Ben Davis was a five-star recruit and a headline name in the 2016 recruiting cycle.
He signed his letter of intent for the Crimson Tide, following in a legacy paved by his father – Wayne Davis – who stands as the school’s all-time leader in total tackles (327).
Big things were immediately expected from Davis, but good things take time to develop.
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He never thought it would take four to five years to see his labor come to fruition; however, better for it to happen late than never. The 6-foot-4, 243-pounder was recruited at inside linebacker, but a decision to move outside was a challenge he was willing to take.
Davis is on his second position coach in his career, and it appears that Sal Sunseri has been the one to push more out of him. He was on the field in the fourth quarter with 58 seconds left in the matchup. Alabama is holding a 38-7 lead and the Bulldogs have a fourth down with six yards to go.
Throughout this year in practice, he’s learned many techniques from the veteran in Sunseri and he felt it was time to pull one out. Davis walked down as a defensive end, shot out of his stance upon the snap, came on a stunt up the middle and rocked Stevens for a loss of eight yards.
The celebration was on after the sack, as Jarez Parks was the first guy to congratulate his teammate. During media availability on Tuesday, Jared Mayden said he was on the field when Davis dropped Stevens to the ground. He said the redshirt junior’s sack was one you could feel.
“You could hear the pads popping on the collision and once I saw who it was, I was excited for him,” Mayden said of Davis. “He waited his turn and he was finally able to get out there and make a play. That is one of the best feelings in the world.”
Davis brought Alabama’s sack total to 25 and for Mayden, he got to see a young man fulfill his dream and make himself proud.
“That was big,” Mayden said. “Me and Ben go back. I met him during my senior year in recruiting, so for him to get on the field and make a sack… I was on the field and that was a big sack.”
A huge boost of confidence in within Davis as he prepares to build off it this weekend versus Western Carolina 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.
