Tide proves it can score in variety of ways

Alabama linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton isn’t sure who is going to score the next non-offensive touchdown for the Crimson Tide.

He is sure of two things, though — it better be a linebacker, and for everyone’s sake, don’t let it be defensive lineman Da’Ron Payne again.

“Man, it’s got to be a linebacker,” Hamilton said. “DBs have scored. A D-lineman has scored. So, hopefully, the linebackers can steal one from somebody.”

This season Alabama has scored a nation-leading seven non-offensive touchdowns. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey returned an interception in the Tide’s opener against Southern California before safety Eddie Jackson returned one the following week against Western Kentucky. In Week 3, Alabama had three non-offensive touchdowns, as Jackson returned a punt for a touchdown before Payne and fellow defensive lineman Jonathan Allen returned fumbles to the end zone.

In Week 4, receiver Xavian Marks became the first offensive player to score a non-offensive touchdown when he returned a punt against Kent State. Last week, safety Ronnie Harrison continued the Tide’s streak with a fumble return for a touchdown.

“The guys on the team were messing with me because I’m like the only DB that hasn’t scored a touchdown,” Harrison said after the game. “It was just good to get one.”

Alabama has scored a non-offensive touchdown in its past seven games, a streak dating back to its Cotton Bowl victory against Michigan State last season.

So far the number of non-offensive touchdowns the Tide has scored this season (7) is greater than the number of total touchdowns scored by its opponents (6).

Non-offensive touchdowns have become quite the talking point in the Tide’s locker room. Players that have scored already hold the bragging rights and let their fellow defensive teammates hear about it.

Perhaps no Tide defender is as vocal as Payne, who scored on a 3-yard scoop and scored against Ole Miss.

“I’m tired of hearing Da’Ron Payne,” Hamilton said. “He scored a two-inch touchdown. He’s thinking that he ran 100 yards or something...He thinks he’s some kind of world-class athlete when I’m sure that coach [Nick] Saban probably could have picked up the fumble and walked, took one step and scored a touchdown.”

After watching Payne and Allen score, Dalvin Tomlinson now faces the pressure of being the only starting defensive lineman yet to score a touchdown this season. Tomlinson isn’t too worried about getting into the end zone and said he’d even settle for recovering a turnover.

However, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t thought a little bit about having his time in the limelight.

“I think every defensive player probably visualizes about it probably day in and day out,” Tomlinson said. “But if it happens, it happens, if it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”

Until then, he’ll just have to hear about it from Payne and the rest of Alabama’s scoring defenders.

This story was originally published October 4, 2016 at 1:32 PM with the headline "Tide proves it can score in variety of ways."