The cameras and recorders piled into the back of Kroger Field’s visiting media room while Terrion Arnold held court. From his growing catchphrase to fun comments about Kevin Steele’s halftime speeches, the Alabama defensive back is one of the team’s most personable, charismatic players, especially in front of a microphone. Saturday was no different.

A dream season continued for Arnold. He added two more turnovers to his 2023 ledger, punching out a fumble on Barion Brown and later leaping to intercept Devin Leary. With his trademark wide smile, Arnold nodded along while a reporter asked if Arnold was playing the best football of his career.

“Yeah, I’m feeling that. I feel like the hard work is paying off,” said Arnold after Alabama’s 49-21 drubbing of Kentucky, which secured an SEC championship berth. “Really, I’m just getting started.”

Through 10 games, the Tide (9-1, 7-0) is 33rd nationally with 201.1 passing yards allowed per game. While preseason hype was lauded on Kool-Aid McKinstry, who’s continued another strong year, Arnold had continued his ascent after wrangling the starting job opposite McKinstry in 2022. Multiple NFL Draft analysts have slid the redshirt sophomore into the first round in early mocks.

He ranks second on the team with 24 total tackles. He’s tied or leading the defensive backs in interceptions (two), tackles for loss (5.0) and pass breakups (eight). More often than not, offensive coordinators are targeting Arnold when compared to McKinstry. A couple of series have started with quarterbacks attempting deep back-shoulder throws against Arnold, who said it’s hard not to grin when a team is challenging him.

Against the Wildcats, Brown and Arnold got into a little “chatterbox” before Arnold warned him.

“Alright, you keep talking, I’m a LANK you,” Arnold recalled saying, prompting some confusion from Brown.

LANK-ing someone is ‘letting a naysayer know,’ an acronym and mission statement developed this season by Arnold and his quarterback and close friend Jalen Milroe. They’ve printed shirts, repeated the phrase on social media and have generally succeded after this season’s 2-1 start made some believe the sky was falling over Bryant-Denny Stadium.

“I think he’s more confident,” head coach Nick Saban said of Arnold on Sept. 25. “I think that he has less mental lapses. I think the biggest thing that contributes to that is better knowledge of the defense, better knowledge of what to do, how to do it, why it’s important to do it that way and the confidence that comes with that allows you to play fast and focus on the right things. I think he’s played a lot better this year because of those things.”

Arnold has been shifted around due to No. 8 Alabama’s emphasis on cross-training in the secondary. Injuries have moved Arnold from star or nickel cornerback to safety. He hasn’t been immune to Saban’s rants on the sideline, notably after allowing a touchdown at Mississippi State and then at Texas A&M, but Arnold has learned how to extract lessons from the yelling.

In fact, both parts of Tuscaloosa’s royal duo have assisted Arnold’s development. After a couple of road games this season, and again this past weekend, Arnold slid his helmet off and scanned the UA sidelines while staffers tried to herd players back into the locker room. Eventually, Arnold’s eyes settled on Terry Saban.

Every Sunday, Arnold said, Miss Terry texts him words of motivation that he internalizes and shares with the team. He likened the program’s matriarch to a “second mom.”

“She really cares about all of us and she does a really good job of displaying that,” Arnold said. ” … I would say it’s second to none, I love her and we’ll have that lifelong relationship.

“Everybody needs a Miss Terry.”

They celebrated Alabama’s SEC West win with a hug and shared a few words. Arnold gave her a fist bump then kept nudging her shoulder. Before they went their separate ways, Arnold’s smile had spread across her face, too.

Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].