Alabama cruised into the endzone with 6:51 remaining in the fourth quarter to take a 63-point lead over the Ole Miss Rebels. The touchdown seemed irrelevant. Just another touchdown to show how much better Alabama was than Ole Miss on that day.
While this touchdown seemed insignificant to some, it hit home for Alabama players. They saw Ronnie Clark, who has dealt with adversity his entire Alabama career, sprint nine yards for his first career touchdown. Alabama’s sideline could not contain its excitement.
“When a guy has an opportunity to score a touchdown, I think a lot of people were very, very excited for him,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. “So excited that we really could have gotten a penalty because the guys ran out on the field without their helmet on.”
Clark came to Alabama in 2014. He ranked as the No. 70 player out of high school and as the No. 5 outside linebacker in the country. When Clark got to Alabama, things did not necessarily go as planned. He suffered an achilles tear that first season. Two years later, he tore his other achilles.
He has fought back this season and has been able to contribute in practice. Due to Alabama’s dominance, Clark has seen some action late in games. He has 70 rushes on 15 carries so far this season.
Saban said every team needs a guy like Ronnie Clark to show other players what being a teammate really means.
“Ronnie Clark has been, to me, the consummate, ultimate great story about any program and what college football should be all about,” Saban said. “Here’s a guy that has done everything that anyone could ever ask as a teammate and contributed to the team in whatever way he could, regardless of how much accolade that may have brought him.”
Speak to anybody and they’ll have positive things to say about Clark. His value reaches beyond the football field. Even though he is not one of the stars on the team, he still provides leadership around the program. Almost no one has been around as long as Clark. For Clark, it’s not about when he gets to see the field, it’s about doing whatever he can to help the team.
“Ronnie’s one of those dudes that he cares about everyone, like everybody,” Alabama running back Josh Jacobs said. “He doesn’t care if he gets to shine or anything. When I first came in, he kind of took me under his wing and like taught to me the plays. For him, it was kind of appreciation, like he kind of deserved it. That’s kind of where we were. So everybody was just happy for him.”
That is why Alabama players erupted when Clark scored a touchdown. It wasn’t about running up the score. It was about seeing a guy who has given everything he can to Alabama football finally get recognized for his achievements. After the game, running back Damien Harris said it was his “favorite moment of his career.” Many teammates were just as excited.
“That was amazing,” tight end Hale Hentges said. “We all love Ronnie Clark to death, and he’s been a valuable contributor to our team and he’s gone through hell since he’s been here with injuries and things like that. We were so excited as you can see. Everyone on the sideline was swarming him. Ronnie Clark deserved that we’re really glad that he ended up scoring.”
Whether he sees the field or not on Saturday, Clark is going to do all he can to help the team prepare for Texas A&M. His touchdown against Ole Miss will remain a special moment not only for his career, but the teammates around him.
