Alabama has won 28 of 30 football games, two Southeastern Conference championships and a national title since Minkah Fitzpatrick signed as a five-star recruit in 2015, but it had been a while since the junior defensive back had reason to celebrate.
Which was why last Saturday's first preseason scrimmage was quite meaningful for the 6-foot-1, 202-pounder from Old Bridge, N.J.
"We actually did a pretty good job," Fitzpatrick said this week in a news conference. "Usually in the first scrimmage, we allow a whole bunch of big plays because we haven't been working together in game situations, but we only allowed like one or two against the ones, and it was fluke stuff - the ball getting tipped up and somebody catching it.
"I think we did a good job, and I like where we're at right now."
The Crimson Tide held their 11th preseason workout Tuesday night.
Statistics were not released from Saturday's scrimmage, but Fitzpatrick knows the numbers would have been vastly superior to what transpired the previous two times he took the field in competitive situations.
In January's 35-31 loss to Clemson in the championship game of the four-team playoff, Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson completed 36 of 56 passes for 420 yards and three touchdowns, and his offense shredded the Crimson Tide for three fourth-quarter scores.
Then, in April's A-Day game, Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts completed 16 of 25 passes for 301 yards with two touchdowns and an interception against the first-team defense.
"That's not what we do or who we are, so it was definitely a challenge for us to come back and show what we can do," Fitzpatrick said.
He earned All-America honors last season as a sophomore, collecting 66 tackles, five tackles for loss and a team-high six interceptions. He returned two interceptions for touchdowns and has four pick-sixes in his career, which is an Alabama record.
It has yet to be determined where Fitzpatrick will play this season in the secondary, with coach Nick Saban admitting he can be effective at six different spots.
"The goal is to get the best four or the best five guys on the field in the positions that give us the best opportunity to have a chance to be successful in the back end," Saban said earlier this month. "Based on how the other players develop will probably determine to a large degree where he ends up playing."
Alabama also has Anthony Averett, Tony Brown and Ronnie Harrison back in a secondary that should be one of the strongest aspects to Saban's 11th Tide team. Fitzpatrick and senior center Bradley Bozeman are among the leaders that the rest of the roster is looking to for guidance, with Fitzpatrick having a direct understudy in sophomore Trevon Diggs, who played receiver last season.
Fitzpatrick said he's already offered words of wisdom to Diggs, who sits next to him in position meetings.
"I've told him, 'You're going to get beat. Just don't get beat again,'" Fitzpatrick said. "I've told him to learn from it."
Tickets available
Alabama is offering a select number of tickets for home games against Fresno State (Sept. 9), Ole Miss (Sept. 30), Arkansas (Oct. 14) and Mercer (Nov. 18). Prices are $35 for Fresno State and Mercer, $90 for Ole Miss and $85 for Arkansas.
The sale will begin this morning and end Aug. 25. Fans can buy tickets online at RollTide.com, and if assistance is required, they may call 205-348-2262.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.