Alabama looking to end year with a win for injured captain Malachi Moore

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama has plenty of motivation for the ReliaQuest Bowl.

The Crimson Tide was left out of the College Football Playoff. It has a chance at revenge over Michigan, not only the returning Alabama players but those on Washington’s roster and staff a year ago. And the Tide can continue its streak of 10-win seasons with a victory.

But an injury to another team captain has Alabama’s players wanting to end the year on a high note. Head coach Kalen DeBoer announced on Wednesday that fifth-year senior Malachi Moore underwent surgery on a nagging injury and will miss the bowl game. That means Moore’s final game in a crimson uniform was the Tide’s Nov. 30 win over Auburn.

Moore’s teammates are looking to cap the season with a victory for their sidelined brother.

“He’s been a big role model for everybody in the room, and he’s been a great leader on this team,” said Alabama safety Bray Hubbard. “Just finishing for him, just going out there and playing our best, especially our room, because that’s his room, too. 

“He’s been the leader in that group, taught us everything and we all look to him. He’s been here a while, been a key player for so long. So going out there and finishing on a good note for him is big for us.”

Moore spent five seasons at Alabama and played in 64 career games before his season-ending setback. It was one he battled throughout the 2024 campaign and ultimately decided to have the surgery ahead of the holidays. A two-time team captain, Moore recorded 70 tackles, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and one sack in his final year. He was named as a second-team All-American by the AFCA, the Associated Press and Sporting News.

His absence means Alabama will be down two starting safeties, as Keon Sabb was already out for the year. But the leadership both defensive backs provided during the Tide’s season helped to prepare the younger players who will now have to step up in the bowl game.

“It’s been huge,” DeBoer said. “Malachi in that room, just the demeanor and the fight, the grit that he’s played with, I know has spread through the rest of the room because the DB position as a whole was extremely young. You had these older guys, and then you had a lot of younger guys. So together they’ve really understood they need each other. 

“One, to learn from the older guys, and the other one is to have success on the field.”

Hubbard, who replaced Sabb in the starting lineup, shared what lessons he has learned from being in the same meeting room and position group as Moore for the last two seasons.

“He’s taught us everything, especially in games,” Hubbard said. “Whether it’s a bad play, good play, running back to the ball and working on the next play. Just communication, he’s a big communicator to everybody. I’m getting comfortable with him out there. He’s made everybody else comfortable in the system, too. 

“He’s just teaching us stuff. Us asking him questions, him asking us questions. It’s been a whole deal for everybody in our team. We’re a really tight group.”

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