It has become quite evident that Alabama players plan on representing the university, the football program, and themselves to the fullest capacity. Ultimately, the players have taken the initiative to finish what they started. Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer expanded on the importance of several veteran players deciding to take part in bowl practices and play in the bowl game during his session with the media on Monday morning.
“The leaders just understanding the precedent that’s been set here in this program when it comes to bowl games, opting out, and just kind of setting the tone on how important every opportunity when you get to put the crimson on is, and these guys get that one last chance here this year. Guys like Tyler Booker really stepping up and Milroe, as well, and others, just really saying, hey, we get one more chance as a brotherhood to go out on that football field together, we get a chance to be better as football players, and we want to set the program off continuing in the right direction going into next year and leave it at the best possible place that we can.”
As DeBoer alluded to, Milroe and Booker playing in the game sets a great precedent for the future and high-profile prospects playing in smaller bowl games. Several other players from different colleges that did the same are Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Colorado two-way player Travis Hunter, and Miami quarterback Cam Ward.
It definitely shows a lot about the character of Alabama’s players to play in a bowl game that will not have a substantial impact on how they are viewed by NFL scouts and front offices. Nonetheless, Alabama fans and coaches will certainly welcome the opportunity to see some of the team’s biggest stars in uniform one last time. DeBoer and the players deserve a lot of credit for keeping the culture at the forefront and setting the tone for the future of the Alabama football program when competing in bowl games.
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Brody Smoot is a team reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “follow” him on X, via @brodysmoot.
