Alabama football will have someone new calling the defensive signals on Saturday, when the Crimson Tide faces Middle Tennessee State in its season opener at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Inside linebacker Deontae Lawson assumes the responsibilities, head coach Nick Saban said Wednesday.

Lawson started four games last season for the Tide, seeing the field in 11 total contests.

“I think Deontae’s done a really, really good job,” Saban said. “He’s kind of taken over the signal caller duties, which I think is a huge responsibility but yet something that is probably the most important thing especially for the front seven in terms of alignment and adjustment, calls that need to be made whether you’re pressuring and getting lined up the right way to play, whether it’s to or away from the back. A lot of guys, you know, they’re a little apprehensive about taking on that responsibility and he’s very confident in that. He’s done a great job of it”

The 6-foot-2, 232-pound Mobile Christian product finished last season with 51 total tackles. He returns as a redshirt sophomore to take an even larger role in the defense with the likes of Henry To’oTo’o and Jaylen Moody gone.

He’s already earned high marks from his head coach.

He’s played really well,” Saban said. “He’s set a great example in terms of how he practices, how he plays, how he communicates and I think that’s been a significant improvement in how we’ve played up front on defense and it’ll be important that we continue that throughout the season.”

Saban stressed how important communication was for the Crimson Tide defense, especially in the backfield. He praised Malachi Moore for the way he does what is needed in that respect.

Moore, now a senior, started for the Crimson Tide as a freshman. However, during his sophomore and junior years, his role shrunk due to injury and the emergence of Brian Branch.

“He’s smart, bright, got a lot of experience,” Saban said. “Can play multiple positions, is a really good communicator, which is one of the things that we’ve been harping on with the guys in the back end. Because that’s just like the offensive line, everybody’s gotta be on the same page with how we’re covering people, what we’re doing, how we’re adjusting.

“So communication is really important. Confidence to communicate is important and Malachi is probably the best guy on the team that we have to do that right now, but we need to get more guys to be able to communicate, but he’s done a really, really good job with multiple positions.”

Alabama faces MTSU at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The game will be aired on the SEC Network.

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