Failure can be the driving force for motivation in life and sports.
At the University of Alabama, the football program under Nick Saban finds a way to become stronger after a failure.
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The 2008 team focused on winning a Southeastern Conference Championship and a BCS national title, but Tim Tebow and Florida got in the way of it. It returned the following season, conquered the Gators, and defeated Texas for a national championship. Alabama endured not winning a national title in 2013 and 2014, and it fueled its defensive unit for 2015.
Players turned frustration into wreaking havoc on opponents, and it won a national title. The Crimson Tide fell short to Clemson in the 2017 CFP National Championship Game (2016 season), but it returned for “unfinished business” in the 2017 season.
Alabama defeated Georgia in the 2018 CFP National Championship matchup and ended the 2020 campaign with a national title after suffering losses in 2019. Saban’s team took defeat against the Bulldogs in January at Lucas Oil Stadium, and the players did not like how 2021 ended. Several veteran names could have turned pro, but they decided to return to school and finish their tenures on their terms. DJ Dale and Henry To’oto’o spoke to reporters on Monday about their decisions to return to the Crimson Tide. Dale, a senior defensive lineman, said the decision to come back was easy. He is the newest member of the leadership group.
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“I did not feel right leaving after a loss,” Dale said. “I knew I could create more value for myself as a player. It was a lot of unfinished business that needed to be taken care of.”
To’oto’o, a senior linebacker, said the CFP title game loss was “definitely” the force behind him returning.
“My main goal is to be able to finish things how I wanted,” he said. “That’s the ultimate goal every season is to leave everyone happy. We chase perfection here, and it is why I wanted to come back.”
Dale and To’oto’o highlighted miscommunication, poor tackling, and a lack of creating turnovers hurt the defense last season.
Both players have grown to become vocal leaders. They are known to lead by example, but Dale and To’oto’o are comfortable with speaking more.
“I have spent a whole year here, so I have earned my teammates’ trust,” To’oto’o said. “I’m letting them know what I see that’s wrong. I let them know how things run and hold them to a standard. I could have done a better job of that last year, but I will hold to that standard every day.”
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Dale said he’s become more outspoken and wants to continue the positive energy that Phidarian Mathis brought on the defensive line. He mentioned that lack of communication and missed tackles led to ‘busted plays and yards allowed.’
Both players highlighted spring practice as a time for the defense to have things in order.
To’oto’o compared the expectation for the Crimson Tide to what he had at De La Salle High School in Sacramento, Calif.
“It’s a tradition and a culture here,” To’oto’o said. “The hard work and grind that goes in here every day, it is not something that you wake up and think ‘Alabama is going to be good every year,’ no it’s the hard work, dedication, practice, film, and our coaches are doing a tremendous job of preparing us to be the best we can.”
Four of the five players on Alabama’s internal leadership group are on defense. Dale, To’oto’o, and Jordan Battle turned down the NFL Draft for another year in Tuscaloosa. This defense should be the best in college football if everything pans out.
Crimson Tide fans are excited to see the group excel and deliver a national championship in the coming fall.
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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.
