The University of Alabama grabbed its ninth Southeastern Conference Championship under Nick Saban last week.
Alabama football has returned to the College Football Playoff and will face Michigan in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.
The Crimson Tide continues to see its student-athletes collect awards from the SEC. Caleb Downs and Kadyn Proctor, two former five stars, were named to the Freshman All-SEC Team. The league’s office in Birmingham (Ala.) announced on Thursday.
🏈 2023 All-#SECFB: Freshman Team
🔗 https://t.co/Tx4x8t03v1 pic.twitter.com/mIGkyyyCBe
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) December 7, 2023
Downs, a safety, earned Newcomer of the Year from the Associated Press. He also won SEC Freshman of the Year and first-team All-SEC for his excellence in Alabama’s secondary. Downs took home the Iron Man Award and Outstanding Defensive Performer at the team’s annual awards banquet. He leads the Crimson Tide for solo tackles (64) and total stops (99) this season.
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Proctor, an offensive tackle, has improved each week.
He’s played his best football as of late, not allowing a sack versus Kentucky, Chattanooga, Auburn, and Georgia. Proctor, an Iowa native, is the first true freshman to start at left tackle for Alabama under Coach Saban since Cameron Robinson in 2014.
Caleb Downs
- Named the SEC Freshman of the Year and the SEC Newcomer of the Year (Associated Press) in addition to his Freshman All-SEC recognition
- Paces the Alabama defense and ranks fourth in the league with 99 stops, including 3.5 tackles for loss (-11 yards)
- Forced a fumble, recovered a fumble, and picked off two passes to go with three pass breakups
- Assumed the punt return duties late in the season, accumulating 87 yards and a touchdown across his four returns\
Kadyn Proctor
- Immediately stepped in along the Crimson Tide’s offensive line in his first year of collegiate ball
- Started all 13 games at left tackle for Alabama, the first freshman to do so since 2014
- Recorded 20 knockdown blocks across 743 total snaps
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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.
