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Chris Low, ESPN Senior Writer
Malachi Moore, an Alabama team captain, apologized Monday for his outburst at the end of Saturday’s 40-35 loss to Vanderbilt, and Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said Moore would not be suspended for his actions.
Moore released a statement on X and said he was “completely out of line.”
He added in his statement: “I let the emotions of the game get the best of me and put myself before the team. As a two-time captain and fifth-year player, I understand the standard we are expected to live up to at Alabama, and I failed to do so by acting in a selfish and unacceptable manner. … I will do better to uphold the Alabama standard moving forward.”
Moore, a multiyear starter at safety, shoved Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia‘s head toward the ground at the end of a play. Moore also threw his mouthpiece and was hit with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for kicking the football. The Alabama staff tried to substitute for Moore at the end of the game, but he appeared to refuse to come off the field.
DeBoer said Moore has “gone above and beyond in taking ownership” for his on-field tirade that went viral on social media and drew sharp rebuke from many around the college football world, including former Alabama running back Damien Harris, who was part of two national championship teams at Alabama.
“I can tell you what would have happened in the days that I was there,” Harris said on a podcast with The Athletic. “We would have tried to rip the ‘C’ off his jersey. We would have lit him up, from every coach, every player. … Everybody would have been on this dude’s head, like we don’t do that.”
DeBoer defended Moore for what he has meant to the program, while adding that it doesn’t make his actions right.
“He has had my back and our back since Day One,” DeBoer said. “There comes a point too where sometimes as things play out, you’ve got to have your guy’s back as well and understand we all make mistakes and we all have just got to own up to it.”
DeBoer added: “I think the thing I want to make sure Bama fans know is that this guy has been rock-solid and been a critical, critical piece, along with others — there were others as well — of keeping this thing together since January, OK? When a lot of guys chose to leave, this guy stood firm. This guy loves Alabama football.”
Moore was one of the Alabama players most vocal back in January about players buying into DeBoer and the new staff and not bolting for other opportunities just because Nick Saban retired,
“We did our own homework as players. The dude has won everywhere,” Moore told ESPN in January when DeBoer was hired. “His standard is the same as ours, to be hoisting that trophy up at the end of the year. He was one win away last year, and that puts a chip on his shoulder. We definitely have one on ours with the way the season ended.
“We’re working toward the same goal, and this time with his vision.”