Zabien Brown Says Linguist Tremendous in Development: Just a Minute

The sophomore cornerback was a Freshman All-SEC honoree last season.

Sep 28, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Zabien Brown (2) celebrates after making a game-saving interception of a pass from Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck (not pictured) at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama defeated Georgia 41-34. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images | Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Alabama football held media day on Monday morning at the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility. Among the defensive players who represented the team was sophomore cornerback Zabien Brown, one of the impact players in the Crimson Tide's defensive backfield.

That unit has been the beneficiary of some of Kalen DeBoer's boldest coaching staff moves. DeBoer was able to recruit two sitting FBS head coaches to his Alabama staff prior to last season: Buffalo's Maurice Linguist and South Alabama's Kane Wommack.

Wommack is the team's defensive coordinator, instating a new 4-2-5 system last fall, while Linguist has been coaching the defensive backs. That makes Linguist an important presence in Brown's career specifically. Linguist has been very active with his players so far in fall camp. His level of involvement is unmistakable.

"Coach Mo has helped tremendously in my development," Brown said Monday. "He pours all his energy, all his care into us, and that really reflects in our play, I feel like, when you've got somebody that cares about you that much and just wants to make you play harder."

Brown was a full-time starter in his very first season with the program, tying the team high with three interceptions. The former five-star prospect out of Mater Dei High School in California recorded 18 tackles, five passes defensed, two pass breakups and two fumble recoveries as well.

"Ways that I look to grow is just having a stronger presence and being able to become a leader and kinda just mentally lock in on what offenses are trying to do and how they're trying to attack us," he said. "And outside, at the corner position, how they're trying to attack me. Just trying to play a step ahead."

He said he could go down the whole list of the Crimson Tide's wide receivers when naming tough matchups to face off against in practice. Brown described the defensive-back room as an air force. That could well be a case of iron sharpening iron in the case of two of the team's most talented groups.

The skill level of the Alabama secondary is enhanced with the benefit of having two former head coaches as focal points of the unit. Brown played exceptionally well as a first-year member of the corps last fall, and he is aware of what Linguist and Wommack bring to the table.

"When they walk in the room and we in a meeting, they control the meeting. They control everything," he said. "You really feel their dominant presence."