Skip to main content
Join
Team Avatar
Alabama

Alabama cornerback Eli Ricks named starter ahead of Mississippi State game

IMG_0985by:Griffin McVeigh•10/22/22•

griffin_mcveigh

On3 image
Alabama Athletics

Warmups are occurring in Tuscaloosa, with Alabama looking to get back to their winning ways. Tennessee was able to abuse the Crimson Tide’s secondary, with wide receiver Jalin Hyatt having five touchdowns in the historic upset. Now, head coach Nick Saban is making some changes, with a new starter coming in at cornerback.

As starters were being announced at Bryant Denny Stadium, cornerback Eli Ricks was named as a starter. He has not done much for Alabama this season, spending most of the time as a rotational player. Now, he will step into a key role against Mississippi State on Saturday night.

CLICK HERE to subscribe for FREE to the On3 YouTube channel

Until this point, Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold have been starting at cornerback for Alabama. Even Khyree Jackson has gotten quality playing time when rotating in for the other two. Ricks has been waiting for his opportunity to make an impact after being one of the impact transfers of the offseason.

Ricks made a rare crossover between SEC West programs, especially when it comes to Alabama. He was considered one of the conference’s top defensive backs while at LSU. When a coaching change was made in Baton Rouge, Ricks switched over to the Crimson Tide.

Nick Saban sends message to Alabama before Mississippi Stae game

Last week’s loss to Tennessee makes Alabama’s matchup against Mississippi State an important one. Prior to kickoff, Nick Saban shared his message for his team — and the keys to victory.

ESPN’s Holly Rowe spoke with Saban before the game to assess Alabama’s preparation for the game. All week leading up to the showdown with Mississippi State, Saban preached attention to detail. That was once again his message following last week’s penalty-riddled loss to the Volunteers at Neyland Stadium.

“You never know if they’re prepared, but we had a good week,” Saban said. “I believe in the team. It’s time for us to respond. Respond with your ability, how you run, how you tackle, how you play, how you cover, how hard you play, how tough you play. Those are the key things. We’ve got to get back to doing the simple things right.”