The Saturday matchup between Alabama and Auburn will hinge on the performance of the in-state players for the University of Alabama, who will take center stage at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Alabama boasts several in-state players who grew up immersed in this historic rivalry, such as Malachi Moore, Deontae Lawson, Que Robinson, Tim Keenan III, Jah-Marien Latham, James Smith, Qua Russaw, Kobe Prentice, Ryan Williams, Yhonzae Pierre, and others. These players have a crucial role in guiding their teammates and demonstrating the significance of this game, especially with Auburn striving to secure a bowl berth.
With Deontae Lawson out, Kane Wommack has named Alabama’s new “green dot” communicator on defense.
Jah-Marien Latham, a fifth-year senior hailing from Reform, Ala., is a product of Pickens County High School and the University of Alabama, where he plays as a defensive end.
Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 280 pounds, Latham has played at the “Bandit” or field-side end position alongside LT Overton for 11 games, accumulating 26 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and two quarterback hurries. Recruited in 2020 by Nick Saban as an end, Latham has stepped up to assist the defense in a new role. After season-ending injuries to Que Robinson (upper body) at WOLF and Keanu Koht’s transfer following a suspension for the Mercer game, Latham has adapted to fill the gap.
Though Yhonzae Pierre, a redshirt freshman, has been dealing with injuries at the position, Latham transitioned to WOLF last week in preparation for Oklahoma and played effectively, according to Kane Wommack.
Wommack, Alabama’s defensive coordinator, praised Latham for his leadership and versatility.
“I thought Jah-Marien did a great job adjusting to the WOLF position in just one week, given the injuries and Yhonzae being banged up,” Wommack said. “There are some similarities between the Bandit and WOLF positions, but there are also differences, and I thought he did a great job of adjusting throughout the week and executing consistently on game day. I really appreciate him.”
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