How Alabama football built elite secondary ahead of Rose Bowl, CFP

PASADENA, California − The argument can be made the Alabama football secondary has the most elite talent of any position on the team.

It could very well have multiple first-round NFL Draft picks next spring, depending on which players decide to declare for the NFL Draft. It has the nation’s best freshman. It has versatile athletes and veteran starters. It has depth and leadership. If there’s an MVP award given to a group of players, the secondary would be deserving.

It has allowed only one 300-yard passer all season (the Texas loss), and it has given up two passing touchdowns total over the past four games.

“We’ve got a good nucleus of old guys and we brought in some young guys that have been very, very helpful,” secondary coach Travaris Robinson said.

How did Alabama build this group? The Tuscaloosa News spoke with Robinson and a few players to get the story behind each key piece in the elite secondary that will compete against Michigan in the Rose Bowl, part of the College Football Playoff semifinals, on Monday (4 p.m. CT, ESPN).

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Caleb Downs

Year: Freshman

Downs, long before he arrived at Alabama, wanted to talk schematics. He would chat with Robinson, coach Nick Saban and former safeties coach Charles Kelly on the phone, for hours.

“That’s what interests him,” Robinson said. “How can he learn? What can he learn? How much can he learn? Some people run away from that. He loves that. That’s what gets him to tick.”

So the staff spent hours with Downs on the phone talking ball. Eventually, he committed to the Crimson Tide.

“I think a lot of people during recruitment, they get involved in the glitz and the glam more than what it really takes,” Downs told The Tuscaloosa News.

That wasn’t for Downs, though. He also didn’t really waste too much time looking at a bunch of schools. He had about three to four he was really interested in, Robinson said. And Robinson, who joined Alabama before the 2022 season, knew first hand what it’s like not to be one of those schools.

“I tried to call him at places I had been before and get on the phone with him, and he had a good attitude about it, but he wasn’t very receptive to it,” Robinson said. “He had kind of his mind of what he wanted to do.”

So once Robinson arrived at Alabama “it wasn’t very hard to recruit Caleb.” The coaches just had to be willing to talk for hours about football.

“He is just a ball, ball guy,” Robinson said. “When I say dedicated, he’s meeting with our GAs and a bunch of guys who are analysts. We’ve got a bunch of guys who are around that he wants to watch film.”

There’s a reason Downs started right away as a freshman, leads the team with 99 tackles and was named the Shaun Alexander freshman of the year and second-team All-American.

“It was a very, very big piece because if he wasn’t (joining Alabama), then we was kind of scrambling looking for a guy who could come in and do the things that he is able to do,” Robinson said. “And he’s done a really good job with that.”

Terrion Arnold

Year: Redshirt sophomore

Arnold was not new to the starting lineup at cornerback, but this version of Arnold is new.

Arnold has played so well in his second season at cornerback that he might have worked his way into a high-round NFL draft pick if he decides to declare. This season, he has allowed a completion percentage of 53.5% on 71 targets, breaking up 12 passes and intercepting five. He has allowed an NFL passer rating of 51.3, per Pro Football Focus’ charting.

“I think it’s just reps,” Robinson said. “You look at last year, he struggled. He was in and out of the lineup. Between him and Eli Ricks. This year, he continued to get better and better and better.”

Robinson pointed out how Arnold played a lot of offense in high school and when Arnold was on defense, he played safety. But when he came to Alabama, Arnold moved to cornerback. So, 2023 is really only his second season playing the position.

“I think Terrion’s best football is still ahead of him,” Robinson said.

Jaylen Key

Year: Graduate student (transfer)

Alabama wanted and needed to add veteran safety depth with the departures of Brian Branch, Jordan Battle and DeMarcco Hellams to the NFL. So, the Crimson Tide turned to the portal and looked up the road to a safety from UAB. And once he entered the portal, Alabama decided to pursue him.

“Jaylen Key was a guy we watched play against some really good people,” Robinson said. “He played very well … The key for us when we bring a guy in because we do so much on defense is the kind of kid he is. And can he learn? He’s a very exceptional learner and has done a really good job of coming in and grasping what we’re trying to do. He was a very, very, very big part of us being here.”

Trey Amos

Year: Senior

Amos hasn’t been a starter yet on a regular basis, but he has been a vital piece.

Look no farther than the SEC Championship Game. Kool-Aid McKinstry had to exit the game because of a concussion, so in went Amos. The first play for Amos, Georgia targeted him, throwing at tight end Brock Bowers. But Amos broke up the pass.

“A guy who’s very intelligent, a guy who’s very athletic,” Robinson said. “He’s definitely the future. He has a chance to be really, really good.”

When the former Louisiana defensive back heard Alabama’s plan for him when he was in the portal, he became sold. There was no starting guarantee, though. That was fine with him.

“I just wanted to develop,” Amos said. “I wanted to really get the feel of being coached in the right type of environment and the right type of system that really fits me.”

Kool-Aid McKinstry

Year: Junior

McKinstry was about as sure of a thing as it got to return to the starting lineup after a strong sophomore season, but as Robinson reminded, everybody works for what they get and no spot is 100% guaranteed.

So what did McKinstry do to not only keep it but also keep growing?

“Work hard,” Robinson said. “Technique. Leader of the group. A lot of guys don’t catch balls on Kool-Aid. He does a really good job of getting the ball off people. He’s got instinct and knack for that, and he cuts guys off in the deep part of the field. He’s a really good football player and he will continue to get better too.”

Malachi Moore

Year: Senior

Moore was a returning veteran and figured to play a sizeable role coming into the season, especially with the departure of Branch, Battle and Hellams. The only question was … where?

“You can use him anywhere you want,” Robinson said. “He’s the smartest guy on the team.”

Star and safety have been the primary spots for Moore. And he’s made all kinds of plays, no matter the location.

“He’s a guy who’s going to do what’s best for the football team before he even does what’s best for him,” Robinson said. “That’s just the kind of kid he is. I could go on and on speaking good about that guy. He’s a very, very loyal guy. He’s a team oriented guy, and it shows how he plays.”

Nick Kelly is the Alabama beat writer for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network, and he covers Alabama football and men’s basketball. Reach him at nkelly@gannett.com or follow him @_NickKelly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.