Nick Saban praises Justin Eboigbe comeback: 'It speaks volumes'

On Wednesday, the AP and CSC named Justin Eboigbe a semifinalist for the Associated Press/College Sports Communicators Comeback Player of the Year Award. During an appearance on “Hey Coach & the Nick Saban Show,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban weighed in on his defensive lineman’s awe-inspiring comeback from last season’s season-ending spine injury.

“I don’t get to see all the players in the country play but hard pressed for me to think that there’s many guys out there that did more for their team,” Saban said. “Justin Eboigbe being able to come back from the injury that he had, what he had to overcome to be able to come back, the great job our medical staff did to help him be able to come back, the specialists that he went to that put them in a position to be able to come back — I mean, it speaks volumes of the character that he has.

“He’s played extremely well for us and it’s never been an issue for him. I probably have more sentiment for him, because of what he’s going through, than anybody else we’ve ever had on our team.”

Eboige only played in four games last season. He suffered his injury before Alabama’s Week 5 matchup against Arkansas. Eboigbe’s road to recovery was bumpy. The redshirt senior worked tirelessly for 10 months straight before finally being cleared to return to action.

Justin Eboigbe soaks in the moment

Eboigbe has made the most of his second chance. He has 56 tackles this season, including six sacks. Eboigbe has not taken the opportunity for granted. After Alabama’s Week 8 win over Tennessee, he discussed his journey back to health.

“Just a long road,” Eboigbe said. “This time last year, just recently had surgery, still up in the air whether I’d be able to play again, seeing my brothers out there and not being able to get the job done in Knoxville. 

“To be out there on the field with them, to get that get back with them in a sense and just being able to go out there each day and work for what I’ve been working for since I was five years old and just see how far I’ve come from a situation that was up in the air and just seeing how things have changed in a year’s time.”

Alabama will need Eboigbe more than ever this weekend. On Saturday, Alabama will square off against No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Championship at 4 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on CBS.