Alabama football has freshmen defensive backs that fans need to watch.
The defensive coaching staff has been high on a trio of young names since spring practice started.
RELATED: Alabama veteran DB impressing coaches with leadership in spring practice
Red Morgan, Zabien Brown, and Peyton Woodyard all came to the University of Alabama in the 2024 class and all have made plays for the secondary in practice. Colin Hitschler, a co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach, spoke highly all three players after Saturday’s practice.
Hitschler said Morgan — 6-foot, 175 pounds — has been rotating in with the first-team defense.
A native of Phenix City, Ala., Red Morgan is very athletic. He arrived from Central High School as one of the top in-state safety prospects in the recruiting class. Morgan, according to Coach Hitschler, is ‘fun to coach.’
Alabama 4-star DB Red Morgan is a freshman to watch for A-Day and the coming fall.
Veteran players and the coaching staff are loving the alumnus of Central High School in Phenix City, Ala.
“Red is fun to coach,” Alabama DB coach Colin Hitschler said.@TDAlabamaMag pic.twitter.com/DfeZxX9rJc
— Stephen M. Smith (@CoachingMSmith) March 24, 2024
“Red grew up an Alabama fan,” Hitschler said. “For him to be out here as a freshman, playing with the ones, and earning it every day, he is fun to coach. He is elastic, he jumps through this roof every day, just love coaching him, his work ethic is special.”
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Hitschler said Morgan is ‘true Alabama through and through.’
“When you have kids like that who love football, they are fun to coach,” Hitschler said about Morgan. “He wants every bit of knowledge you can give him.”
Malachi Moore, a senior defensive back, raved about Morgan’s athleticism early in spring practice.
Alabama freshman DB Red Morgan standing out to Malachi Moore as he works in spring practice.
Morgan also participated in Rose Bowl prep with the team. pic.twitter.com/okXrPyZEgq
— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) March 7, 2024
“It is crazy to see how athletic he is,” Moore said about Morgan on March. 6. “Once he gets the stuff down of knowing how to drop, all the coverages, and the new concepts of college football… he will be a great player.”
DeVonta Smith, a fourth-year defensive back, told reporters Saturday that Morgan ‘will be a great player’ at Alabama.
Alabama veteran DB DeVonta Smith loves what he’s seeing from freshman Red Morgan.
“Red is phenomenal man. You are hearing it from me, Red is going to be a great player for us.”
He also said transfer Domani Jackson has made ‘a lot of plays’ in spring practice.@TDAlabamaMag pic.twitter.com/m4ssoWrPpm
— Stephen M. Smith (@CoachingMSmith) March 23, 2024
“He is phenomenal,” Smith said about Morgan. “You are hearing this from me, Red is going to be a great player for us. I am thankful that he continued to stay in and stay put with us.”
Kalen DeBoer, Alabama’s head coach, has noticed different plays in practice Morgan has made.
Zabien Brown, a native of Santa Ana, Calif., came to Alabama from Mater Dei High School.
He arrived as the most technically sound five-star cornerback in the class, and the 6-foot instinctive playmaker has drawn praise from the team as well. Coach DeBoer said Brown as been ‘super consistent’ in his process.
Coach Hitschler raved Saturday about Brown’s ‘focus,’ despite coming far from home to play college football.
“He has learned the defense and is competing,” Hitschler said about Brown. “He is doing everything we are asking him.”
Peyton Woodyard, a four-star safety from Bellflower, Calif., is earning his stripes in spring ball. He was a secure tackler at St. John Bosco High School, but he’s quickly gotten acquainted in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The 6-foot-2, 188-pounder got a lot of love from Hitschler in Saturday’s interview with reporters. Woodyard’s position coach labeled him as a ‘grinder’ and hard worker.
Alabama freshman DB Peyton Woodyard has been impressive in spring practice, per Colin Hitschler.
“Peyton is working with the 2s right now, but he’s making a lot of plays. He’s grinding, he’s working, he’s focused. I love Peyton.”@TDAlabamaMag pic.twitter.com/3h0OfiAJP3
— Stephen M. Smith (@CoachingMSmith) March 24, 2024
“I love Peyton,” Hitschler said. “He is a California kid who is a long way from home, and that can be a tough situation… but he’s working and he’s focused. He is playing with the twos right now and making a lot of plays. I can’t say enough about him.”
Alabama has a group of talented freshmen in its secondary. Coach Hitschler and Coach Maurice Linguist (cornerbacks) have the responsibility of mentoring this unit to be elite. If the freshmen keep progressing, the Tide will have a dangerous back end.
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Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
