Of the true freshmen that played on last week for Alabama, it is natural to see Crimson Tide fans overjoyed to watch a tandem of five-stars such as Bryce Young and William Anderson.
Both players had some good moments versus Missouri, and Anderson in particular could be a major star on defense. If one looks deeper into Alabama’s 38-19 victory, it would find another strong freshman performance at Faurot Field.
Malachi Moore, a four-star from Hewitt-Trussville High School, earned a starting job in the Tide’s nickel defense (star) after performing well in fall camp. The 6-foot, 182-pounder had a tremendous senior season for the Huskies — tallying 83 tackles, five tackles for loss and four interceptions in 2019.
Moore posted 46 solo stops and returned two picks for touchdowns. His toughness and intelligence won Nick Saban over, and the six-time national champion saw Moore as someone that can play winning football for the program.
In his first game, Moore recorded three tackles (all solo), including one tackle for loss.
During the first quarter, Moore displayed his speed, instincts and toughness when he came downhill and nailed Tyler Badie of Missouri in the backfield for a 1-yard loss. He made secure tackles in space and despite one penalty, Moore looked comfortable with the first-team group.
With his contribution, the Tigers had neither a 100-yard rusher nor a 100-yard receiver against the Tide’s defense. According to Jordan Battle and Christian Harris, Moore is quickly learning things on the fly.
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“Malachi is a great player,” Harris said. “I have been talking to him since he moved in during the summer. I talk to him every single day. He may have had a little penalty earlier in the game, but you can’t let a negative play affect you. He went out there and did a great job.”
In working directly with Moore, Battle said he has to be more vocal with the freshman.
“Everything is going well right now,” he said on Tuesday about teaching Moore.
He comes from a great high school coach in Josh Floyd, and one of the best programs in the state of Alabama. Moore will have an interesting matchup this week versus Texas A&M, but he has potential to be great.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
