Alabama Football: Shyheim Carter next man up for depleted Tide Secondary
By Ronald Moody
Losing six players in one position group would cripple any college football team, not Alabama football. Junior corner Shyheim Carter is a young bull to keep your eyes on this season.
Alabama football produces elite cornerbacks under head coach Nick Saban. Studs Dee Milliner, Dre Kirkpatrick, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Marlon Humphrey are former first-round draft picks that thrived under Saban.
The 2018 NFL combine invited a mind-boggling five Tide defensive backs to prove their mettle in front of NFL scouts.
Five…
The moniker “DBU” is leaning heavily toward the success of Alabama’s defensive backfields. Sorry, LSU, Florida and Ohio State.
Last season, this esteemed group had 11 interceptions, allowed only eight passing scores and gave up 165.7 yards passing per game.
2018 begins with junior safety Deionte Thompson as the only returning defensive back with starting experience.
A growing buzz in Tuscaloosa regarding Shyheim Carter’s strong play is making fans take notice. During Saturday’s Fan Day, he picked off three passes between Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts.
However, replacing the great Minkah Fitzpatrick is no small task. Displaying extreme confidence, Carter will shine this season.
During Wednesday’s evening press conference, Saban addressed a question about junior cornerback Shyheim Carter,
"Shyheim is a guy that’s really a bright guy, really knows the system really well. Can make a contribution at star or money. Has played some corner for us in the past. He’s kind of a jack of all trades right now. I think that we need guys like Shyheim Carter, who has shown and demonstrated leadership ability in the secondary, to be able to go out there and execute consistently and do their job and he’s made a lot of progress this offseason."
The time is now for Carter to shine
Shyheim came to Alabama as an elite cornerback prospect out of Kentwood, Louisiana, roughly 90 miles outside of New Orleans. Twice named 1A Offensive Player of the Year at Kentwood High School, he passed for 2,443 yards and rushed for 1,648 and 30 total touchdowns during his senior season. On defense, he tallied 57 tackles and five interceptions.
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Rated as the ninth overall corner by 247Composite. Carter originally committed to the Crimson Tide during his sophomore season and backed out. Strongly considered Ole Miss before deciding to roll with Alabama.
The six-foot, 190 pounder did not receive much playing time his freshman season ending the season with only seven tackles. His most significant playing time came against the Ole Miss Rebels after several injuries in the secondary. He finished the game with five tackles (four solo).
Shyheim played in all fourteen games last season. Smoked by Georgia wide receiver Mecole Hardman for 80 yards, Saban replaced senior Tony Brown with the heady sophomore in the second half of the national championship game.
In a pressure-packed game, the head coach’s decision to play him and trust him in a critical moment speaks volumes.
Breakout player for Alabama football
Mentioned by many as a player to watch during the spring A-Day game, Carter did not disappoint. Primarily playing the star position, he registered six tackles and one pass broken up.
During practice media viewing periods, Shyheim has lined up as an outside corner alongside Trevon Diggs in the base formation.
The ability to line up outside, play the “star” or “money” positions are invaluable. The understanding of all these positions is needed if the youngsters do not progress quickly or injuries occur.
Versatility and leadership as Saban pointed out is a strong point for this young corner. Entering his third year in Tuscaloosa, Shyheim’s innate knowledge of defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi’s scheme will ease the transition for the freshmen.
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Carter’s flexibility and guidance are essential for another championship run. Keep your eyes on this up and comer.