Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama have left imprint on each other

Paul Payne, Special to the Advertiser Published 4:17 p.m. CT Jan. 10, 2018 | Updated 10:21 a.m. CT Jan. 11, 2018

Alabama players talk about winning a fifth national title in nine years under Nick Saban. Duane Rankin/Montgomery Advertiser

ATLANTA – As an incoming freshman, Minkah Fitzpatrick was already branded as a different breed of player that had nothing to do with his football ability.

Sure, he was a highly-coveted defensive back out of Old Bridge, New Jersey, one of several five-star prospects in Alabama’s 2015 recruiting haul.

But what put Fitzpatrick in class by himself was the outcome of a personality evaluation given to all incoming Alabama players that allowed coaches to better interpret individual learning styles. The results revealed that Fitzpatrick’s personality was off the charts, most closely matching that of one person – Alabama coach Nick Saban.

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A junior in eligibility, the Bednarik Award winner as this season’s top defender, is also a “junior” as the namesake of his father, the second oldest of seven children raised by Minkah Sr. and Melissa Fitzpatrick.

But around the Alabama football squad, he’s been tagged with the moniker of “Coach Saban’s son” for the manner they both are relentless in preparation, pay attention to the smallest of details, and are tireless in their pursuit of perfection.

When asked if Fitzpatrick reminded him of himself during his own playing days prior to the College Football Playoff semifinal win over Clemson, Saban was quick to clarify the comparison.

“Well first off, he’s a hell of a lot better player than I ever was," Saban said. "Let’s get the record straight on that. I do think that Minkah has a lot of the qualities that I think I’ve always tried to put in place for myself to have the best opportunity to be successful as a coach, as a person.

“He’s very conscientious, pays attention to detail, very disciplined, understands the importance of preparation. He’s not one of these guys that just thinks he can go out there and make plays without doing things the right way. He sets a great example in terms of his work ethic and how he practices and what he does every day. So there’s not a lot of things that you can say that Minkah doesn’t do exactly like you would want him to do as a coach and what you try to get all of your players to do.”

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Jeremy Pruitt, the incoming head coach at Tennessee after serving as Alabama’s defensive coordinator the past two seasons, witnessed the special relationship between Fitzpatrick and Saban during the Crimson Tide’s Sugar Bowl preparations.

“You know, Minkah surprises me every day," Pruitt said. "Yesterday we bused over to the stadium and I’m just kind of looking around and the first person dressed out there is Minkah Fitzpatrick. And he’s down there talking to Coach Saban, and I know they’re talking ball because I know both of their mannerisms. He eats, sleeps and breathes it. He’s probably as good a competitor, as tough and instinctive guy as I’ve been around.”

A consensus All-American, Fitzpatrick was also awarded the Jim Thorpe Award for best defensive back in the nation. He is one of three players ever to claim both the Thorpe and Bednarik trophies. The decision looms whether to return for his senior year or declare for the NFL draft, where he is projected as a top five pick.

Regardless of his choice, Fitzpatrick’s decision to travel south to Alabama has profoundly impacted his life.

“It hasn’t really changed me a whole lot as a person," Fitzpatrick said. "I was born and raised in New Jersey for 18 years, so I’m pretty deep-rooted in that. But when I go back home some people say I’ve pick up a little accent, but I don’t think I did.

“I’ve learned a lot about the South and how people think down here. Y’all like barbecue, but I don’t like it too much. Y’all love football too. I mean, I kind of understood it a little bit, but I learned it a whole lot more when I actually got down here and I saw the fans and the passion that everybody had for the game.”

Players and coaches from Alabama and Georgia talk about the 2015 game between the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide in Athens. Alabama won, 38-10. Duane Rankin/Montgomery Advertiser

True freshmen typically don’t earn a starting spot in Alabama’s defensive backfield. Fitzpatrick heard those warnings from other coaches during his recruiting process, but that simply gave him extra motivation. The fact that nine Crimson Tide defensive backs have gone in the first two rounds of the NFL draft since 2010 certainly didn’t hurt.

“I committed to Alabama my junior year," Fitzpatrick said. "And then, even after I committed, I was still going through the process a little bit with a couple of other schools. But I’m a football player. I’m a competitor. Wherever I go, I’m going to go and compete. That’s why I came to Alabama was to compete."

His first game at Bryant-Denny Stadium left him overwhelmed by the passion of Tide Nation.

“Our first home game when we had walked outside the stadium and, like, all the fans were there waiting for us asking for autographs and for pictures and stuff like that. I thought that was stuff you saw when you're in the NFL and movies and stuff like that,” Fitzpatrick said.

Saban saw something special in Fitzpatrick even in his freshman year.

“He played when he was a freshman, and has played in almost every game since he’s been here," Saban said. "We had high expectations for what he would be able to accomplish and what he would be able to do here. I can’t say that we’re disappointed in any area. He’s probably exceeded those expectations because of the consistency that he’s been able to play with."

His performance throughout his career has also gained the admiration of opposing coaches, including Georgia coach Kirby Smart who was Alabama’s defensive coordinator Fitzpatrick’s freshman season.

“He’s an extremely talented young man, a ferocious competitor," Smart said. "Not afraid of contact. Smart. I’ve never seen a player who can play the number of positions he has within that defense. I don’t know if that will ever be done again. People don’t respect how smart you’ve got to be to do that."

Georgia offensive coordinator Jim Chaney views Fitzpatrick as the latest member of a legacy of Crimson Tide defenders.

“He’s another one of that long line of great defensive backs that Alabama’s had," Chayeny said. "He can make plays in coverage, he can make plays as a blitzer, can make make plays anywhere when you’re not expecting him to be there and all of a sudden he shows up. Just a play-making fool back there in the back half that they’ve had an abundance of and he’s just the next one."

Fitzpatrick has played six different roles within Alabama’s complex defensive schemes, and his versatility has enabled Pruitt to compensate for the numerous injuries that constantly shuffled the depth chart.

“I wouldn’t call Minkah a hybrid player," Pruitt said. "I’d call him a complete player. He can play corner, he can play safety, he can play star, he could play wide receiver, he could be our punt returner and he could probably play quarterback for us. He’s that type of guy. There’s not many of them out there like him."

Fitzpatrick’s natural ability is bolstered by the discipline he requires in the other facets of his life. This is a byproduct of his parents’ influence.

“They kept me disciplined in the sense of, whether I'm on the field or off the field, just because they really enforced just doing the right thing, even when it might be easier to conform or to be like everybody else, trying to tell me to be different and do different than everybody else," Fitzpatrick said. "I think that kind of lined up with just the discipline aspect of it as well."

That same regimented discipline has overlapped into Fitzpatrick’s spiritual development during his time at Alabama, where he regularly leads Bible studies among athletes.

“It’s cool to see the relationships I’ve formed and just how much I’ve grown as a Christian, especially this last year," Fitzpatrick said. "We’ve got a group of men who push me and challenge me every day in my faith. It makes it easier when you have those people that you can go to and you can talk to about the Lord. It definitely eases the stress levels that help me balance football with life."

Whether Fitzpatrick opts to pursue the riches of the NFL or returns for his senior campaign, his legacy is already sealed in Alabama lore.

Georgia defensive coordinator Mel Tucker recognized that during the one season his coached him during Fitzpatrick’s freshman season.

“I can talk to you about Minkah all day," Tucker said. "I really have a genuine respect for him. The way he goes about his business has been really fun to see him develop over these past couple of seasons, but there’s just not enough you can say about him. He’s a great player, but he’s an even better person."

Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith (6) celebrates with tight end Ronnie Clark (5) celebrate after Smith caught the game winning touchdown in overtime against Georgia in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., on Monday January 8, 2018. (Mickey Welsh / Montgomery Advertiser) .

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama have left imprint on each other

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