Alabama DB Malachi Moore to miss ReliaQuest Bowl with injury
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama defensive back Malachi Moore will be unavailable for the ReliaQuest Bowl due to an lingering injury that required surgery, head coach Kalen DeBoer told reporters on Wednesday.
“Malachi Moore, he’s been going through an injury pretty much a lot of the season,” DeBoer said. “Just got to the point where he wasn’t going to be able to play, so I’m putting that out there. He’s having surgery today. He wanted to do everything he could to get out there, he was trying to find every — trying to wait it out to see if he could possibly be something he’s able to participate in. Probably the biggest thing I’d say is he just grinded through the year with it. It’s not something recent, something that’s been ongoing.”
With Moore being out of eligibility, his Crimson Tide career is now over after spending five seasons as a key contributor and multi-year starter in Tuscaloosa.
Moore was named a team captain ahead of this season, his second straight year being named a captain. He had an excellent season, totaling 70 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumble and a sack in his 12 games this year. His efforts earned him first team All-SEC and second team All-American honors by multiple publications.
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“Just hats off to how much he loves this place, how bad he wanted to be out on the field each and every Saturday, and even how bad he wanted to be out there with these guys and finish off his career,” DeBoer said. “Unfortunate that we’re not gonna have him. Love that kid to death, he has a bright future in everything he does. He poured a lot into this place, a lot of passion, a lot of want-to, a lot of desire. A lot of things that I know the rest of our team really took from him and learned along the way.”
Alabama’s depth at safety has been thinned out, with Keon Sabb already out for the season with an injury and DeVonta Smith transferring to Notre Dame. The Crimson Tide will look to Bray Hubbard as the lone safety starter left from its last game, along with other young players that will need to step up against Michigan.
Kickoff for the ReliaQuest Bowl is set for 11 a.m. CT on New Year’s Eve.
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