C.J. Mosley had a decision to make after the 2012 season, but really, there wasn’t much of a choice.
As a junior, he led the team in tackles with 99, had two interceptions, was a consensus first-team All-American, named a finalist for the Butkus award and selected as the BCS Championship’s Defensive MVP.
Still, he felt like he had more to prove, so he came back for his senior season and cemented his place among the all-time great linebackers at Alabama.
“I’ll tell you what, C.J. has made me a great coach the last four years,” defensive coordinator Kirby Smart said. “Certainly I’ve not made him a great player, he’s made me a great coach. A lot of people say that the linebackers find the ball. Seems like with C.J., the ball finds him, because he’s always there, makes a lot of plays.
“What’s really amazing about C.J. Mosley is that you can rarely find a play where he ever loafs. And he plays on special teams. Started on kickoff return to start the season. He’s played on every punt. He’s such a terrific player but even more so a person.I’ve been fortunate to coach the guy and may not ever coach another guy quite like him because he’s so athletic. He allows you to do more things defensively. And you can put him in tough situations, and he seems to play himself out of them.”
Even at 6 feet 2 inches, 234 pounds, Mosley was considered undersized for a middle linebacker coming into coach Nick Saban’s base 3-4 defense. While Mosley contributed right away as a freshman in 2010, he wasn’t usually on the field in running situations, with Dont’a Hightower and Nico Johnson playing both of the inside positions his first two years.
But when Alabama would switch into its nickel and dime defenses, Mosley was on the field, as his quickness became a key asset in passing situations. Mosley thrived in such situations, setting the Alabama record for interceptions returned for a touchdown with three.
With Hightower gone after 2011, Trey Depriest was inserted in his place in the base 3-4 defense. While Mosley led the team in tackles by nearly 50 in 2012, he still wasn’t an every-down linebacker.
That reason, among others, was key in his decision to come back for his senior year, where he played nearly every down on defense.
“I paid my dues. I waited my turn,” Mosley said after Alabama’s 38-17 win over LSU. “People always said, ‘He’s too small. He’s not that type of linebacker.’ I played all four quarters, regular, nickel, dime, everything.”
While Mosley was able to elevate his play on the field, his off-field impact had a similar resonance with teammates in his senior year.
With Johnson gone, the defense needed an authoritative voice in the middle, and Mosley turned out to be the man for the job. Described by teammates as more of a quiet type, Mosley stepped up and spoke up when the team needed him to and otherwise led by example.
Never was this more evident than after Alabama’s uninspiring 31-6 win over Colorado State. Mosley, along with AJ McCarron and Vinnie Sunseri, addressed the team in the locker room immediately following the game, preaching a message about buying in and doing your job.
“I don’t think there’s any question about it that that’s what leadership is,” Saban said the following Wednesday.
While Mosley’s senior season didn’t exactly end the way he wished it would have, there isn’t any questioning his contribution to Alabama and his legacy with the Crimson Tide.
“I just wanted to do my job and do what I can to help the team out,” Mosley said. “That was my main goal, especially coming in as a freshman, whether it was on special teams or actually playing on the defense. I just wanted to do my part to help the team win.”
