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ARLINGTON, Texas – Alabama won the Rose Bowl semi-final on Friday 31-14 inside AT&T Stadium, but it did so without one of its safe freshman defensemen Malachi Moore.
Moore was on the sidelines and dressed to play, but he did not play in the college football playoff game after starting the last 11 games as Crimson Tide’s Star. After the victory that catapulted Alabama into the national title game, head coach Nick Saban gave updates on Moore and linebacker Christian Harris, who did not play in the fourth quarter.
“Malachi Moore is day to day,” Saban said. “He got a bit injured in the game in Florida. He was able to train intermittently, but this is the type of injury that makes it worse, so he couldn’t go today. Really nothing else. Christian Harris, we just got out because we didn’t want him to get hurt. He was in a bit of pain, which the injury he did will on occasion, but he played through and he could have finished the game. We just took it out.
Harris suffered a shoulder injury in Alabama’s regular season final against Arkansas, but was able to dress up and play against Florida in the SEC title game on December 19. The linebacker had five tackles and one key interception before being replaced by junior Jaylen Moody.
Moore received 247Sports True Freshman All-American honors after recording 44 tackles, six pass breakages and three interceptions in Alabama’s first 11 games. In his place was fellow freshman Brian Branch, while DeMarcco Hellams secured the starting safety sign against Daniel Wright. Hellams punctuated Crimson Tide’s defense with 12 tackles and a sack.
“DeMarcco has played well for us throughout the year,” said Saban. “He just didn’t have a lot of opportunities. DeMarcco is a smart guy. It includes the system and the schematic. He’s a good tackler. He is physical. We knew they were going to be a physical team, so we chose to play him a bit more today, and he did a really good job. But he did a really good job practicing, and I think that’s the key to the exercise.
“He deserved the opportunity to play, and I think he did a really good job for us today.
Alabama will play again on Jan. 11 in the college football playoff national championship game in Miami Gardens, Fla. He will face the winner of the Clemson-Ohio State semi-final.
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Contact Charlie Potter by personal message or on Twitter (@Charlie_Potter).
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