TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— One of the many changes related to the Alabama football program as of late was the change in linebacker Deontae Lawson's jersey number. The redshirt junior and defensive leader switched from No. 32 to No. 0, thereby becoming the first Crimson Tide player to ever wear that number.
Only since 2020 have players been allowed to adorn their jerseys with a zero standing alone. For Lawson, who stayed in Tuscaloosa in hopes of winning a national championship, the numeral is indicative of starting anew. "We just gotta work harder this year and get it done," he said.
"I'm just gonna be me, I'm not gonna change anything," Lawson said. "This is just a new beginning for me. Just gon be me and see what happens." He thinks it looks cool on him, but the main thing he's focused on is being himself.
Lawson wants to become more of a vocal leader, citing that as an individual area he wants to grow in throughout the spring and as the first season under new head coach Kalen DeBoer draws closer. His leadership role hasn't changed much about how he's adjusted to the new system. "I'm just here more, being with coaches more, bringing other guys with me, and just, same thing I've always been doing," he said. "Leading by example."
Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack, with whom Lawson shares ties to the Mobile, Ala., area, is impressed with him. "Deontae is a great young man who carries himself with a great presence," Wommack said. "When he got on the field, I saw a different version of Deontae Lawson. One that I'm excited to go on the field with. From that standpoint, our linebacker room is always, in my mind, going to set the tone for how we do things." Wommack pointed to Lawson as a player who has been doing things at a high level.
He had 11 starts in 2023, finishing second on the team in tackles even though he missed three games owing to an injury. He had double-digit tackles in multiple contests. Lawson wants to play fast and make plays. DeBoer, he said, is all about putting players in a position to succeed. "He moves around all the time, even during practice, he's on the defensive side," said Lawson. "He's a team coach." As for Wommack, Lawson said he's a high-energy guy that a defense needs from its coordinator.
Following the numerous major changes in the program, it felt good for Lawson and his teammates to finally start getting back into things on the gridiron. The new era has to start somewhere, after all. "It's nothing like it," he said, "it's nothing like it."
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