'Keep Swinging': Lotzeir Brooks Comes Up Clutch for Alabama Football Again

The Crimson Tide true freshman made a huge fourth-down catch in the fourth quarter of Alabama's win at Missouri.

Oct 11, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Lotzeir Brooks (17) runs the ball against Missouri Tigers safety Trajen Greco (4) during the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. / Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

COLUMBIA, Mo.— Alabama football's leading receiver in its 27-24 win over No. 14 Missouri on Saturday was neither Ryan Williams nor Germie Bernard. It was true freshman Lotzeir Brooks, and when it came time to roll the dice late in the contest, a perfect throw from Ty Simpson found Brooks.

Brooks had four receptions for 58 yards, none more important than a fourth-down reception with eight yards to go from the Missouri 38 with five minutes to play. The catch went for 29 yards and set the No. 8 Crimson Tide (5-1, 3-0 SEC) up with a first-and-goal. Alabama scored the game-winning touchdown four plays later.

"You're too far out for a field goal, obviously," head coach Kalen DeBoer said in the moments after the game. "Keep swinging... I can see us battling. There's a feel you have. There's a belief you have. A lot of it is on the body language, on the execution. Just feel, when you've got a quarterback with some guys around him that can go make plays, you've gotta let them play."

Alabama led 20-17 when that choice was made. It wasn't playing for its life in that moment. DeBoer felt punting in that situation could've been beneficial in pinning the Tigers (5-1, 1-1 SEC) back deep but said it was important to play to win. Deciding to go for it on fourth-and-long was playing to win.

DeBoer made up his mind once running back Kevin Riley gained 16 yards on a third-down passing play when he needed 24. In those moments, the ball tends to find playmakers, whether they're veterans or not. Simpson, who put the football right where it needed to be, sees Brooks as that kind of player.

"Lotzeir Brooks is a big-time player," Simpson said. "As a freshman, that dude's unreal. His work ethic, the way he plays. He might be 5-11, but he plays like he's 6-5. Hats off to him, man. What a great player, great play."

It isn't the first time Brooks has come up large for the offense and made a play that helped swing the outcome of the game. He made a key grab late in the first half at Georgia on Sept. 27 during a drive that led to the game-winning touchdown. Williams was limited on Saturday against Missouri because of a minor injury sustained against Vanderbilt. Brooks, again, stepped up when he was called on.

"If you saw this guy practice every day, I mean, I wish you guys coud see him practice. I know you're gonna tell me, 'Let us,' right?... This guy is just full speed, all the time," DeBoer said. "When he's on the football field, he just loves the game."

Brooks now has 13 catches for 216 yards this year. On Sept. 29, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb called him a "missed-tackle-force machine"; the Millville, N.J., native has long earned praise for his work on special teams as well.

"He's got a knack for the ball. He's got instincts. He's elusive. He can break tackles," DeBoer said. "[I'm proud of] how hard he works, just the plays he makes. A year ago, we were not making plays in the critical moments to win games. That was a big play to go win a football game. He did it. Our team needed him and he came through."

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