Deontae Lawson reveals thinking moments before ripping ball away from LaNorris Sellers late in game

Multiple Alabama players had big moments late in the game against South Carolina, and you can make an argument no one had a bigger moment than Deontae Lawson.

The veteran linebacker ripped the ball away from South Carolina’s starting quarterback LaNorris Sellers in the fourth quarter when the score was tied at 22. Tim Keenan III jumped on the ball after Lawson ripped it loose, giving the Crimson Tide’s offense great field position. The great play by both players led to Alabama’s offense taking a seven-point lead with 34 seconds left in the game.

Lawson revealed his thinking behind his effort to rip the ball away from Sellers in that moment after the game.

“Working at that man for who knows how long,” Lawson said. “Our coach always say take 100 rips at the ball for you to get one. Just try to do everything I can to help these guys win. I love these guys. Just gonna keep it going.”

Lawson said he was going to attempt to get on the football before he saw Keenan had possession of the ball.

“I saw the ball like under TK (Tim Keenan) a little bit, but I was gonna get on it,” Lawson told reporters. “TK ended up grabbing it and then I just started pointing that way to alert the ref.”

Alabama’s defense has been very opportunistic as of late when it comes to turnovers.