Alabama fans saw a swarming defense last week in a shutout victory over Missouri.
Kane Wommack’s 4-2-5 group created four quarterback hurries, a sack, three tackles for loss, three interceptions, allowed three third-down conversions on 13 attempts, and knocked Brady Cook out the game. Bray Hubbard, a sophomore, got the starting opportunity against the Tigers at free safety. The former four-star from Mississippi is the next man up with transfer Keon Sabb down for a while with a foot injury. Hubbard, who came in Alabama’s 2023 recruiting class, stepped up in the Crimson Tide’s matchup versus Tennessee two weeks ago. He totaled nine tackles, including five solo stops, regardless of the Tide’s 17-24 loss.
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The 6-foot-2, 204-pounder impressed fans on homecoming at Bryant-Denny Stadium with seven total tackles — including four solo tackles (shared team lead) — and an interception.
Hubbard has finished as the team’s second leading tackler in back-to-back weeks and earned his first career takeaway.
He will grow in confidence as he continues to earn starting reps with Sabb out.
Air-Hub 💪@BraysonHubbard
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— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) October 26, 2024
Hubbard credits his preparation in practice for having him ready to produce a stand-out game.
“It’s having the next man up mentality,” Hubbard said after the game.
“I just prepared like I am the starter. When I found out, I was like it is time to go. I said it earlier in the week, I don’t want to let down my brothers. That is my goal. I don’t want to let down my brothers. We play for each other, we play as a team.”
Hubbard said he did not feel different about this game, though, Kalen DeBoer told reporters he felt Alabama had a ‘different level’ of physicality against Missouri.
“I felt like it was the same game,” Hubbard said.
“It is another game, it is another week. You still have to prepare and come out with the ultimate physicality every week and that is what we did. I think we always have something to prove. You have to have a chip on your shoulder, you have to have something to drive you. We have to play every week with a chip on our shoulder.”
One thing Hubbard will work on is being able to turn takeaways into touchdowns.
He jokingly mentioned to the media that he ‘did not know what to do’ after grabbing his first career interception.
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“I just caught it and was like ‘yo, this is crazy,'” Hubbard said.
“I did not know what to do and that’s why y’all saw me running 70 yards across the field.”
Malachi Moore, a fifth-year senior, said Hubbard probably ‘blacked out’ after getting the pick.
“A lot of them you black out, especially your first one,” Moore said.
“You kind of don’t even remember until you back and watch it on film. I guess all he (Bray) knew was to get up and start running down the field. But, I was going to chase him and congratulate my brother on getting his first career pick.”
Hubbard has this group now playing with physicality on defense.
Alabama has a bye week for him and his teammate to heal up before facing LSU next on the road.
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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.
