It's Time for Dylan Moses to Shine
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Phrases like these go back through the ages:
Sports build leaders;
Adversity reveals character;
True champions will fight through anything.
They’ve become cliché in their overuse.
But when someone like Alabama linebacker Dylan Moses comes along one can’t help think that he’s the kind of athlete who inspired some of those sayings in the first place.
Of all the players on the 2020 Crimson Tide, he’s probably been through as many ups and downs as anyone. From young prodigy who received scholarship offers back in eighth grade, to leaving home early to play for a football factory in another state, and team leader at Alabama only to be sidelined for what was supposed to be the pinnacle of his coming-of-age story last season.
Moses went through a lot just to get to this fall — regardless of how this calendar year has gone. But there’s no denying his impact on the Crimson Tide and its title chances.
“Dylan, that’s my guy,” sophomore defensive lineman D.J. Dale said. “To have him back, that’s a huge impact he has on the game every play. To play along with a guy like that, a leader like that, that’s something I don’t take for granted.
Neither does he.
“Not being able to play has really brought back my love for the game, and every time I go out on that field, it's gratitude,” Moses said. “I'm happy. You know you gotta appreciate the little things in life."
Funny thing, Moses has never been considered a little thing.
Even the 14-year-old version of him out of Louisiana and LSU’s back yard, along with Christian Harris and Chris Allen who now start on either side of him, was big, and not just due to his 6-1, 215-pound frame.
Moses had also played running back and safety, but honed in on linebacker at University Lab in Baton Rouge and IMG Academy in Florida.
The 2016 Butkus Award recipient as the nation's top high school linebacker, Moses was on the fast track to greatness. A 2017 first team Parade All-American, and named to the All-USA squad by USA Today, he enrolled early at Alabama and was hailed as being a can’t-miss prospect.
Moses looked the part from the get-go. His first game against Florida State, he forced a fumble on kickoff coverage to set a Crimson Tide score and he later recovered a blocked punt.
As a freshman in 2017, Moses played in 11 games and was one of the key players the coaches turned to when the linebacking corps was decimated by injuries. He too was sidelined by a foot injury during a practice for the College Football Playoff, but was still named to the SEC’s All-Freshman Team.
Upon his return, the coaches started moving him around, lining up both at inside and outside linebacker, reminiscent of how Alabama used Rashaan Evans (the Crimson Tide linebacker he looks up to the most: “He’s like my big brother”). Moses recorded a team-high 86 tackles, including 10 for a loss and 3.5 sacks, to with a pass breakup and forced fumble en route to being named both a second-team All-American and finalist for the collegiate version of the Butkus.
Everything was in place for him to become the Crimson Tide’s defensive leader in 2019, along with outside linebacker Anfernee Jennings. Outside linebacker Christian Miller had moved on and Mack Wilson’s early departure only added to Moses’ status on the team.
Similar to Tua Tagoaviloa on offense, he was more than the one relaying the play-calls and making all the pre-snap adjustments. Moses was considered the quarterback of the defense, and combined with Alabama having no one with experience behind him was arguably the player it could least afford to lose.
“This is a true story,” defensive coordinator Pete Golding said about a linebacker workout last fall, during which Moses really got on a teammate. “We’re a young room, and they wanted somebody to be able to do that for them and to be able to follow, and that was the first time since I’ve been here that I really saw him wear his emotions on his sleeve and then just pour it out.”
Coaches can talk all they want, but when the players are the ones leading and taking responsibility, that’s when a group can become special and a team can go to another level.
Moses the leader had arrived.
“He came to my office after that practice, I said, ‘Dylan, that’s it, man. That is it. You busted your butt and you’ve done everything you’re supposed to do up to this point. But if he doesn’t (follow suit), it don’t matter. You’ve got to bring the other 10 guys with you and you’ve got to get them invested with you,’” Golding continued.
The next day, Moses suffered his season-ending knee injury.
The 2019 defense never recovered and being sidelined ate at Moses as he watched the Crimson Tide struggle through the season. With Joshua McMillon also suffering a knee injury, Alabama played the entire season with freshmen at the interior linebacker spots.
Moses could have said that’s it and gone straight to the NFL, although the injury would have impacted his draft stock. There were rumors floating around that the damage had been worse than widely known, but Moses says “It wasn’t anything past” torn ACL/MCL ligaments. His foot injury had actually been much more painful.
Like with so many other things in his life he did his due diligence, talked to all the relevant people before making a final decision. The NFL could wait another year.
Once he did, it was back to full steam ahead.
“That was a tough year for him,” Golding said. “But man, this offseason, I’m telling you what, in those Zoom (meetings), he had his pen and paper out every day, getting the freshmen on there, quizzing them, sending them tests.
“When he decided to come back, it was that Dylan I saw that day after practice, and he said, ‘If I’m going to come back, I’m all in, and I’m going to bring everybody with me.’ So, that’s been really, really awesome to see, and I wish him nothing but the best.”
With Moses back the middle, the defense had a different feel for the season opener against Missouri, a presence that had been lacking in 2019. However, it turned out to be just the first major test in his comeback.
Against Ole Miss, the senior was credited with a career-high 13 tackles, only in this case the high number wasn’t such a good thing. The defense was on its heels early and struggled, with Moses eventually echoing Nick Saban’s comments that it seemed like the Rebels were always a step ahead of whatever the Crimson Tide tried to do. He spent most of the night chasing down long gains.
Alabama had to quickly turn things around with No. 3 Georgia looming, and it did. Aided by some turnovers, and sophomore safety Jordan Battle back in the mix after being called for a late targeting against Ole Miss, the Crimson Tide shut the Bulldogs out during the second half.
A more confident, and perhaps extra-motivated Moses was credited with 10 tackles and a sack, and this time the numbers were seen as positives.
Alabama's defense was starting to look like an Alabama defense again, with junior cornerback Patrick Surtain II saying Moses was again their "Alpha leader," and senior tackle Alex Leatherwood commenting how good it was to see him "get his mojo back."
“I think it was by far his best game in terms of execution, doing what he was supposed to do,” Saban said. “ I feel like this will maybe get him confident, physically confident, so that he can and continue to play well and perform well.
“He showed great leadership, really helped the other players play well,”
That’s the thing that jumps out the most about Moses, and brings us back to the complimentary phrases. When he’s playing well, the high level isn’t just limited to him.
He’s one of those players who makes those around him significantly better.
“Having Dylan Moses next to me, it kind of gives everyone on the defense a little bit of confidence,” Harris said. “I can play fast and show people what I can do.”
That’s the real legacy that Moses will eventually leave behind, regardless of the statistics and whatever titles and honors he may add from here on out.
“It means a lot,” Moses about this season. “I want to finish it with a bang.”
“At this point I have a burning desire to be successful and bring my guys with me.”
