One Alabama Defender is “Taking His Game to the Next Level”

Bray Hubbard came into the 2024 football season second on the Alabama depth chart behind Michigan transfer Keon Sabb. Sabb co-led the Tide in interceptions with three, but suffered a season-ending injury in Alabama's 24-17 loss to Tennessee. Hubbard's time to shine was here.

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And shine, he did. Hubbard ended the season co-leading Alabama in interceptions (three) and finished the season with 57 tackles, one tackle for loss, two pass breakups, and one forced fumble.

Hubbard stepped in and started the final six games of Alabama's season, with his top performance coming when Alabama's defense needed to provide sparks to get the offense rolling against Oklahoma. He finished Alabama's 24-3 loss to Oklahoma with 11 tackles and one forced fumble. His top performance, however, came against the Missouri Tigers in a 34-0 win. He totaled seven tackles and one interception in the victory.

Now, Hubbard enters year three as a penciled-in starter for the Tide alongside Keon Sabb. He rose quickly, improving in every game he played after the Tide's loss to the Volunteers.

Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack saw Hubbard's meteoric rise and recalled a challenge he and the Crimson Tide coaching staff gave the former three-star Mississippi recruit last season.

“We really challenged Bray in the offseason a year ago, in the springtime,” Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said on Tuesday night at the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame induction banquet, per AL.com. “He had an OK spring, he had a little bit better fall camp, and then by the time his name was called to be our starter, he came in and had tremendous production. Bray created a takeaway in every game that he started in."

This offseason, Wommack has seen Hubbard rise to an even higher standard.

“I think he’s taken his game to another level this offseason, just in terms of the leadership that he carries and brings,” Wommack said of Hubbard. “This was a multi-sport, multi-position football player and athlete coming out of high school, and he has really settled into the nuances that make a great free safety. And then all of a sudden, you change systems, and he’s adapted really well to that."

“Bray is a production player. He’s a guy that can make plays for us. So I’m really excited to see what he’s going to do this year.”

While Sabb was rehabbing his foot injury during spring, Hubbard was on the field honing his craft. Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said Sabb was "on track" with his recovery.

Read More: Keon Sabb's Injury Rehab Continues Positive Trend

We will likely see Sabb and Hubbard on the field together when Sabb returns from injury this fall, creating a strong safety duo that Alabama can rely on to bolster an already-impressive secondary.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.