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The Tuscaloosa News
Inside look at Alabama football LB Deontae Lawson season-ending ACL injury vs Oklahoma
- Story byThe Tuscaloosa News
- Inside look at Alabama football LB Deontae Lawson season-ending ACL injury vs Oklahoma
Deontae Lawson still made the tackle.
In the final episode of "The Tides That Bind: Inside Alabama Football" on FOX Nation, the Alabama football linebacker broke down the second-quarter play against Oklahoma in which he suffered a season-ending injury.
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"I tore my ACL," Lawson said. "Quarterback scrambled to his left. I was trying to chase him down. He planted to cut inside. I planted with him. But when I planted, I felt a little pop. But I still made the tackle."
Lawson left the Oklahoma game with two tackles and a fumble recovery. He finished his season with 76 tackles, four pass deflections and two sacks.
"I was really just stunned," Lawson said. "Like no way. And I hear my guys calling like, 'Come on, man. We need you.' When I was in the tent, people were coming in there. Like Malachi (Moore) came in there, and I just broke down, man. I ain't going to lie. I just broke down. I knew I would be out. Anytime I'm not out there, I don't care if it's a game, in the weight room, all that affects me. And it's a tough pill to swallow."
Dec 2, 2023; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Deontae Lawson (32) puts on an SEC Championship cap at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Alabama defeated Georgia 27-24 to claim the SEC Championship. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports
Lawson announced in January he would return to Alabama in 2025. He later said he would be out until fall camp as he continues to rehab what was later announced as an ACL injury.
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"I felt it before, but being out and knowing you're out for a minute, it really takes a toll on you," Lawson told the Crimson Tide Sports Network in January. "I really got closer to God. He's shown me a lot of different things. Just my mindset, my habits. He's definitely moving in my life right now and I'm enjoying the ride, even though I'm not really working out like I'm wanting to right now. Every day I'm attacking rehab like it's no tomorrow. I know I'll just be better from this."
What Tyler Booker told Alabama football ahead of Iron Bowl
Ahead of what ended up being his final home game with the Crimson Tide, Booker shared a strong message he had for his teammates after the program's 24-3 road loss to Oklahoma.
"I got up and said, 'If your focus is not on beating Auburn at home, then you don't need to be in here,'" Booker said. "'That's the only place our focus needs to be. Not the playoffs, not the rankings, not who needs to lose in order for us to get in. All of our focus needs to be on Auburn and winning the Iron Bowl.'"
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He later added that "if you're focused on the portal, if you're focused on the playoffs, if you're focused on who needs to lose, who needs to win, where you are going to go next year, how much money you are going to make next year," to get out.
Alabama beat Auburn 28-14.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Inside look at Alabama football LB Deontae Lawson injury vs Oklahoma
