MOBILE, Ala. — Justin Eboigbe was a long way from Tuscaloosa — training for the NFL draft in Florida — when legendary Alabama football coach Nick Saban told his team on Jan. 10 that he was retiring.
But within minutes, the former Alabama defensive end’s phone began roaring with notifications as former teammates reached out and word began to spread. He’d just returned to the apartment he’s renting, while working out at a training facility when he began scrolling through his messages, and couldn’t believe his eyes.
So he got a better look, via FaceTime.
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“I called one of my former teammates and he told me. (He) Facetimed me in and showed me the locker room,” Eboigbe said Tuesday after the Reese’s Senior Bowl afternoon practice. “It was a lot of guys showing the same emotion that Bama fans and people around the world of sports felt. Shocked, confused, not really understanding where this came from. It felt like it came out of left field, but you can’t do anything but respect his decision.”
Eboigbe overcame a neck injury that ended his junior season early to post his best college season as a senior in 2023, recording career highs in tackles (63), tackles for loss (11.5) and sacks (seven). He is one of three former Crimson Tide players, along with kicker Will Reichard and linebacker Chris Braswell, who are in Mobile this week for the Reese’s Senior Bowl in an effort to enhance their value for the NFL draft in April.
Eboigbe knows Saban better than most Alabama players, having spent five years in the program, but said he saw absolutely no advance indication last season that Saban was coaching his last team.
“No, I…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/inside-alabama-football-locker-room-223728329.html
Author : The Tuscaloosa News
Publish date : 2024-01-30 22:37:28
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