Lotzeir Brooks became 'the guy' when Alabama needed him against Oklahoma
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NORMAN, Okla. — At halftime, ABC color commentator Kirk Herbstreit ran into Alabama football offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb in the bathroom. And Herbstreit’s small talk centered around one particular Crimson Tide player.
“He’s like, ‘Man, you were right. (Lotzeir) Brooks is the guy,'” Grubb related.
Lotzeir Brooks always knew that.
When the freshman first arrived in Tuscaloosa from Millville, New Jersey, Grubb, Kalen DeBoer and the coaching staff already knew what they wanted to do with a receiver like Brooks.
“Use my speed,” Brooks said. “Just make explosive plays.”
In Alabama’s 34-24 first round College Football Playoff win against Oklahoma on Friday, Dec. 19, all of that expectation came to fruition, with Brooks leading the Crimson Tide with 79 receiving yards on five catches and his first two collegiate touchdowns: a 10-yard snag on a fourth-and-2 in the middle of the second quarter that broke Alabama‘s scoreless seal, and a 30-yard score where he weaved through multiple Sooner defenders to take a lead the Crimson Tide would keep for good.
“I just had a feeling,” Grubb said. “I had said before the game that I felt like Lotzeir was in a position in this game plan to step up.”
It’s what Grubb and the Alabama coaching staff see from Brooks each day on the practice field. No one is surprised in what Brooks can do.
And that is the message Brooks said he hears time and time again from DeBoer and quarterback Ty Simpson: He is a playmaker, and the ball will eventually find him.
Those two touchdowns, DeBoer said, were a showcase of what Brooks does best. Brooks showcased his twitch, his ability to separate and his security with the ball in his hands.
In his first 12 games with the Crimson Tide, Brooks had 27 catches for 364 yards, averaging more than 13 yards per reception.
But it was through those practice sessions that Alabama continued to learn who Brooks is, something DeBoer has fallen in love with.
“Love the energy he brings,” DeBoer said. “He’s pretty loose, easy-going. Sometimes I make sure I have to reel him in a little bit. But man, that’s when he’s at his best. Just let him be who he is.”
Friday’s win against Oklahoma gave Brooks a chance to be who he is, a chance to celebrate.
“When I got in the end zone for the first time, I didn’t know what to do,” Brooks said. “So I started screaming.”
Alabama will play Indiana in the CFP quarterfinal at the 2026 Rose Bowl on Thursday, Jan. 1
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Lotzeir Brooks became ‘the guy’ when Alabama needed him
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