Why Alabama felt comfortable having freshman DB on field late

Oct 11, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Dijon Lee Jr. (5) intercepts a pass intended for Missouri Tigers wide receiver Donovan Olugbode (1) during the fourth quarter at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

Kalen DeBoer and Alabama football’s defensive staff felt comfortable depending on the services of true freshman cornerback, Dijon Lee late in the Crimson Tide’s 27-24 victory over Missouri.

Their trust in Lee paid off in a massive way when the former five-star from California snagged the game-clinching interception off the hands of Tigers’ quarterback Beau Pribula to help the Tide secure their fifth victory of the season. Alabama football’s head coach Kalen DeBoer met with reporters and explained why he and the Tide’s defensive minds were comfortable putting the freshman defensive back on the field late in such a critical moment of the game.

“I mean Dijon’s in the rotation, he’s a playmaker,” DeBoer said. “He’s hard to throw around. He tackles well, and so we trust him. He came in last spring, and you could see that he was going to be in the rotation, more than likely, and just continued to get better and better. And this was the first game that we have obviously felt good with him out there all season long.”

Lee looks to continue his growth as a growing piece in the Crimson Tide’s secondary with DeBoer and Alabama football moving further in SEC play this season.