Alabama’s Defense Places High Stakes on Rising Second-Year Safety—Could He Be the Game Changer?

You’d think with Alabama’s defense locked down tight after four straight wins against ranked opponents, the lineup was carved in stone. But here comes Red Morgan—a homegrown four-star safety from the 2024 class—slowly cracking the ice and making serious waves in the locker room. Just last Saturday, while the Crimson Tide edged past Tennessee, Morgan flashed a glimpse of his potential: two solo tackles, a pass breakup, and enough savvy plays to catch the eyes of coaches hungry for reliability. Watching his journey unfold, defensive coordinator Kane Wommack applauds the kid’s growth and consistency, especially considering the early grind Morgan endured as a true freshman. What really grabs attention? That relentless “want”—the grit to lock down tackles and close space like a seasoned pro. Teammates like Keon Sabb aren’t shy about tipping their hats either, seeing Morgan as the dependable force Alabama’ll lean on as the season heats up. Originally scouted by the legendary Nick Saban, Morgan’s earning buzz that stretches beyond the coaching staff—his peers are taking notice, too. Wide receiver Kobe Prentice even likened him to Caleb Downs, a high compliment in these parts. If Morgan continues on this trajectory, the Crimson Tide’s defensive backfield could be in for a refreshing dose of talent and toughness that pays off down the stretch. LEARN MORE

The Alabama Crimson Tide’s defense seems to have been set in stone, especially after winning four consecutive matchups against ranked teams, but there’s one defender that we may be seeing more of.

Alabama native and four-star recruit from the 2024 class, safety Red Morgan is apparently winning over a lot of people in the Crimson Tide locker room.

This past Saturday in the win against Tennessee, we got a glimpse of just what Morgan can do for the program.

In limited snaps, he recorded two solo tackles and a pass breakup, and had immediately won over his coaches.

“It’s been fun for me to watch Red’s development and growth… We asked a lot out of him a year ago as a true freshman to go in and play in some high-level games and execute, and he took his lumps and he also did some really great things,” Defensive Coordinator Kane Wommack said. “I think fundamentally, he has improved so much. His consistency on the field has improved so much, and it was really great to see him be rewarded with the way that he’s playing right now.”

But what has really stood out to the coaches is his ‘want.’ He’s shown that he can be relied upon to make an open tackle and in the limited eye-test, he doesn’t seem like the kind of player that will allow an opponent to break one of his tackles.

“He’s got twitch. He can make space tackles. He can take the air out of the ball, meaning he can cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. And when you’re dealing with teams, for example, like Tennessee, that stretch you laterally in the RPO perimeter passing game, really good to have a guy that not only can close space but can also finish on the ball carrier. I thought he did a tremendous job at that the other night.”

Not only that, fellow safety Keon Sabb sees Morgan coming in and being the type of player that the program needs down the stretch.

“Red Morgan coming in and doing his job. He’s the guy that will lean on more this year, the rest of the season.”

Morgan was initially recruited by the legendary Nick Saban, and apart from Sabb, many of his teammates have sung his praises.

WR Kobe Prentice discusses ‘Red’ Morgan and Alabama Football DB’s
Alabama Football Wide Receiver Kobe Prentice joined Roger Hoover on Crimson Drive driven by NASCAR #199 #rolltide #alabamafootball #alabama #football #colleg…

Back in April 2024 during coach Kalen DeBoer’s first spring camp with the Crimson Tide, wide receiver Kobe Prentice, who now plays for Baylor told the Crimson Drive podcast that Morgan was picking up the defense very quickly.

“You’ve heard a lot about him, but Red… Red is very athletic and he’s picking up the defense really well. He’s very impressive. He kind of reminds me, they have different playing styles, but kind of just a young guy that came in, and dissect the defense and just looks the part when he’s out there… kind of reminds me of Caleb Downs.”

If the Crimson Tide is getting just an inkling of a Downs-like player, Morgan coming in as a consistent option on defense is an immediate win for the program, and could pay dividends later on in the season.