In Tuscaloosa, Ala., there is a set of four and five-star athletes on the field at Bryant-Denny Stadium playing football for the Crimson Tide on Saturdays in the fall.
People fall in love with names and skillsets, but sometimes the gems are the ones who are not featured in headlines or photos.
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During his 15 years as head coach for Alabama, Nick Saban has signed some of college football’s best running backs. We have seen dominant five stars such as Trent Richardson, Derrick Henry, and Najee Harris. Tide fans cheered for explosive four stars, and their hearts fell in love with a three-star in Josh Jacobs. Regardless of its scholarship players and emergency players at the position, Alabama has a walk-on who can be a possible superstar.
Elijah Crockett grew up in Georgia, but his name and impact became special on the west coast.
After spending his freshman year in the southeast, Crockett transferred to Ruben S. Ayala High School in Chino Hills, Calif.
As a sophomore, his new home quickly discovered an impressive young man was about to shine. He dropped jaws, raised eyebrows, and elevated expectations within the program and around the area. Crockett sat out the first five games but was the main attraction in his last six – including a playoff game – earning first-team All-League honors. He became known as Xavier or “X” with the Bulldogs.
AJ Gracia has been the head coach of Ayala since 2016. He had Crockett as a sophomore and senior.
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Gracia said Crockett had an impact on teachers, students, coaches, and the community upon his arrival.
“When you talk about a great young man, Xavier was a leader,” Gracia said during an interview with Touchdown Alabama Magazine. “He was the nicest kid and became everyone’s favorite student and player when he moved in. I was just impressed by how humble he was as a kid.”
Before he touched the field, Gracia knew his program was changing in the weight room.
“Xavier raised the level everywhere here, especially in the weight room,” Gracia said. “He could throw weight around. We were chomping at the bit to get him on the field. We knew if he was like this in the weight room, then we would have something special on the field.”
Crockett’s first game in a new area was against Glendora High School.
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Despite a 38-45 loss for the Bulldogs, people noticed it did not have an average running back.
Crockett rushed for 200 yards and a couple of touchdowns. His performance made hairs stand up on the necks of people. According to Gracia, Crockett totaled 800+ yards rushing and at least six touchdowns in six matchups. He averaged 150 yards per game for a team that finished 7-4 in the 2018-19 year.
“We became the talk of the town at Ayala, and X was turning heads,” Gracia said. “As a sophomore, people were terrified to tackle him. He ran with fierceness and physicality to him.”
Ryan Parks, the co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, said Ayala built its offense around Crockett in the backfield.
“The focal point was to put Xavier in space and let him make plays,” Parks said. “He set the tone in our running game. When he got the ball, anything could happen. He was a good football player and easy to coach. His teammates loved him. X’s charm as he was quiet, but he was a good person.”
Crockett was well on his way to collecting numerous athletic scholarships.
After his sophomore campaign, several Pac-12 schools – including UCLA – wanted him badly.
Per Parks, DeShaun Foster (Bruins’ running backs coach) visited him every day to talk about Crockett. Things were looking up until a family situation flipped the script on him. Crockett transferred back home to Georgia before his junior season. He missed a whole season at Ayala, and the momentum he was building in recruiting suffered. The Bulldogs went 11-1 for the 2019-20 campaign, including 5-0 in league action. Ayala advanced to the second round of the playoffs, but it was hurt not to have Crockett.
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“I hated it when that happened to him,” Parks said of Crockett’s recruiting dropping off. “He missed 16 to 17 games combined as a sophomore and junior. He could have been a four-star recruit. Xavier was a victim of family issues, but it was not his fault. His recruitment was not damaged, but not being here for his junior year took him back to square one. I remember an online meeting I had with high school coaches; they were all obsessed with him in their game planning.”
Crockett returned to Ayala for his senior year, but COVID-19 limited the program to a spring season of five games. The Bulldogs won all five matchups in 2021, scoring 30+ points in four of five games. Crockett brought a new skill set as a passer catcher during the shortened season.
Nick Saban loves talent at Alabama, but he also appreciates players that handle adversity. Crockett handled a difficult situation better than most. According to Gracia and Parks, he never complained. He always carried a smile and tried to spin things in a positive light.
“I think Xavier brings a toughness that a lot of guys don’t have,” Parks said. “He had an up and down high school career, but he kept a good mindset overall. He had a circumstance in his life he could not control, but he handled it well. He knows how to deal with adversity.”
Gracia echoed the words of his offensive coordinator.
“X has a perseverance and mental toughness to him,” he said. “He moved around a lot as a kid. Small things do not bother him. He ended up in the right place at the University of Alabama.”
Ayala High School knew what it had in Crockett, and Pac-12 schools were close to having a household name at running back.
He is now with the Crimson Tide and looks to be impactful for a national championship program.
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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.
