Was Alabama truly saving Eli Ricks for the second half of the season?
Crimson Tide fans are having this conversation amongst themselves. Nick Saban said the transfer cornerback earned the starting nod opposite Kool-Aid McKinstry against Mississippi State. Ricks, a former standout at Louisiana State University, prepared for the moment and brought an energy that the Tide lacked on defense. In his first career start, the California native shut down Will Rogers and the Bulldogs’ passing game. Ricks earned Defensive Player of the Week honors from Alabama’s coaching staff and Pro Football Focus highlighted his impressive performance. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder got targeted 10 times, but he allowed one catch for 19 yards. Ricks recorded four pass breakups (shared team lead), but he got credited with five forced incompletions.
Alabama’s Eli Ricks vs. Mississipi State
🔒 10 targets
🔒 1 reception allowed
🔒 19 yards allowed
🔒 5 forced incompletions pic.twitter.com/IILdhBPzan— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 23, 2022
After each breakup, he celebrated and brought excitement to fans.
Ricks’ outing allowed for Kool-Aid McKinstry, Brian Branch, DeMarcco Hellams, and Malachi Moore to excel. McKinstry totaled four breakups, and the trio of Branch, Hellams, and Moore had two each. The Tide collected 15 breakups as a defensive secondary, and Ricks was the catalyst of the show. Alabama appears to have a lockdown secondary with Ricks at corner.
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Coach Saban wants to get his best athletes on the field at each position.
The Tide has Louisiana State University next on Saturday, Nov. 5. Ricks has an opportunity to return to Tiger Stadium and compete against his former team. He was a Freshman All-American for the Tigers in 2020 after totaling four interceptions.
Alabama’s secondary looks strong with Ricks as a starter. Hopefully, he will continue to be impressive.
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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.
