Alabama CB Domani Jackson powers through injury to make game-sealing INT
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama needed a defensive play, badly, or it was about to walk out of Bryant-Denny Stadium with its second loss in as many weeks.
South Carolina miraculously had the ball back after a successful onside kick, with possession around midfield. The Gamecocks had about 12 seconds on the clock, trailing 27-25. South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers heaved up a prayer, looking to take the lead, and Alabama cornerback Domani Jackson came down with it. Jackson proceeded to run the clock out and slide down, allowing the Crimson Tide to escape with a much-needed win.
The play was monumental, but what’s more impressive is that Jackson was back on the field after being banged up earlier in the game. In the first half, Jackson laid a rough hit on Sellers, and he was slow to get up. He had to be helped off the field, not putting any weight on his right leg. After examination in the injury tent, Jackson was carted to the Alabama locker room.
The loss was consequential. Jackson is the only true veteran in the Alabama cornerback room, having two years of experience at USC before transferring to Alabama this past offseason. Starting opposite Jackson is true freshman Zabien Brown, and behind the two of them are fellow true freshman Jaylen Mbakwe and Zay Mincey.
With Jackson out, there was nothing but youth on the outside to cover the South Carolina receivers. The Gamecocks took advantage, beating Mincey on a deep route to score their first touchdown of the game late in the second quarter. That touchdown spurred a 19-0 scoring run, as the Gamecocks went from down 14-0 to up 19-14 by the middle of the third.
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But Jackson, who was reported to be questionable to return, dug deep and found it in himself to get back on the field in the second half, and ended up sealing the game in the end.
“He’ll be fine, obviously he was back out there. The guy wants to go out there, he’s had a great season so far. He’s someone we’ve got a lot of confidence in, and we just wanted to use him in the right times and the right moments in that second half when those times came up,” Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said. “And again, finding a way to pull it down, concentrate on the ball, what some people would look at as an easy pick, but you’ve got to be there and you’ve got to make the play. Definitely proud of the fight that he had to be back out there, considering he did go down earlier in the game.”
Jackson has been Alabama’s most consistent cornerback throughout the season, which goes hand-in-hand with him being the most experienced. The interception against South Carolina was his second of the season, and he has three pass breakups on the year as well.
“Domani, he comes in everyday with his head down, and just works,” linebacker Jihaad Campbell said. “He’s not the type of guy to do any rah-rah talk or nothing like that. He communicates with the guys, he has fun with the guys. He executes the call and just plays ball. … Him being the ball player he is, he had his eyes on the ball, caught a pick for us, and took the game away.”
