Senior linebacker C.J. Mosley is not known as a vocal player, but in Alabama’s shutout victory over Ole Miss, the quiet leader of the defense came out of his shell.

In the third quarter, the Rebels had put together a nine-play, 73-yard drive and faced fourth down and 2 yards to go at Alabama’s 7-yard line.

Earlier during the drive, an Ole Miss offensive lineman kept his feet moving after the whistle and drove Mosley to ground well after the play was over.

Mosley, who is usually calm and collected, got off the ground fuming, barking out the next play to his teammates.

Junior linebacker Trey DePriest said he had never seen Mosley react that way.

“Not like that,” DePriest said. “It got me excited. It got the whole team fired up. He was just ready to play, out there screaming, letting everybody know what the play was.”

On fourth down, Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace attempted a pass over the middle, but Mosley was there – on cue – to knock it down.

“He started yelling. I could see it in his eyes,” junior safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix said after the game. “I caught the chills just looking at him.”

Mosley said the flare up of emotions came as a surprise to a lot of people, and it is something that doesn’t happen very often. But on the field, especially inside Bryant-Denny Stadium, is the most likely place to witness it.

“I heard it from a few people because they’re not used to seeing me so amped up,” Mosley said. “But that’s football – probably one of the only things that will get me that hyped.”

Mosley has been the leader of the defense since last season, but after the Crimson Tide failed to obliterate Colorado State by more than 25 points, he shed his quiet demeanor and vocalized his opinion to the entire team.

Immediately following the 31-6 win over the Rams, Mosley addressed the team in the locker room.

Head coach Nick Saban said Mosley’s decision to confront the team opened the players’ eyes more than if a coach had spoken up.

“I think that’s probably something he wasn’t comfortable with when he was a young player. But now he is vocal with the other players,” Saban said. “I think his command, certainly, has an impact and affect on all the players. It’s certainly something we need on our team.”

Mosley was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week after his performance against Ole Miss. He accumulated seven tackles and helped bring down Wallace in the end zone for a safety in the fourth quarter.

On the season, Mosley leads Alabama with 35 tackles, 11 more than Clinton-Dix, who is in second place. He is the only Crimson Tide player the coaching staff has named as a Player of the Week following each of Alabama’s four games.

Junior safety Vinnie Sunseri said Mosley is the glue that holds the defense together, and without him, the Crimson Tide would falter in both run and pass coverage.

“Having C.J. up there is kind of like a protective shield,” Sunseri said. “If you have C.J. up front, you’re going to be OK.”

Mosley has also been a captain for Alabama every game this season, along with quarterback AJ McCarron.

Saban had nothing but praise for the senior linebacker and everything he brings to the team.

“He’s got a lot of athleticism; he’s got a lot of talent. But he’s also got a lot of true grit in him, in terms of the kind of competitor he is and how he plays,” Saban said. “The guy just doesn’t know how to take a play off. I don’t care what the circumstance is, whether it’s on special teams or any role that you have for him.

“He’s about as fine a competitor as anybody that we’ve had an opportunity to coach through the years, and we certainly appreciate that. I think the example he sets is really important in terms of leadership to all the competitors on our team. He’s done a fantastic job.”

But Mosley is not satisfied.

Even after the Ole Miss shutout Saturday, the Crimson Tide still has a long road ahead before the regular season’s end and must keep improving if it wants to advance to the postseason.

Mosley said he was proud of the way the defense suffocated the Rebels and said it must maintain that same intensity throughout the remainder of the season.

“That’s the way we need to play all year,” Mosley said. “We can still be better. We have a lot more to improve on, but we need to play to our standards.”

His silent persona is beginning to vanish, and his teammates have taken notice. But Sunseri said there is one thing about Mosley that has not changed.

“He’s really passionate about how he plays, and that’s what makes him such a great player,” Sunseri said.