Why Alabama is Adding DJ Dale to its Leadership Council

Earlier this week, Alabama football coach Nick Saban revealed the team's leadership council for the upcoming season.

Four of the names on the list were names that graced the list last season: quarterback Bryce Young, linebackers Will Anderson Jr. and Henry To'oTo'o and defensive back Jordan Battle. This year, however, a fifth name was added to the list in defensive lineman DJ Dale.

The Crimson Tide's leadership council has traditionally been composed of just four players. That being said, Saban said that Dale's emergence as a leader on the team warranted him being added as a fifth player to the team's core recognized leadership group.

"We have four guys that were on the leadership group last year, and we've added one," Saban said on Monday. "Henry's been a really, really good leader, Jordan Battle's been a really good leader. We added DJ Dale to the leadership group because he's emerged as a leader in the offseason program. Bryce has been a really good leader and affected a lot of people in a positive way and has developed more and more of a presence as his confidence has grown throughout last season to be more assertive, to get other players to do the things that they need to do to be successful.

"So we really haven't added a whole lot of guys to that group. But it's not just how many leaders and who they are, it's how do the other players respond to leadership. You know, you can have really good leaders on your team, but if players don't respond to it because they don't respect the importance of doing things right, then that's an issue too. And so far, this group has responded fairly well for the most part."

Over the course of the 2021 season, Dale totaled 18 tackles, with 12 of them going unassisted. He also had four tackles for loss, with opposing offenses losing 21 yards on those tackles. Of those four tackles for loss, two of them were sacks for 13 lost yards.

On Friday, Dale took to the podium to speak with the media for the first time this spring practice season. During the availability, the senior expressed how he believes he's grown as a leader over the course of his time with the Crimson Tide.

“The biggest difference this year is being more outspoken," Dale said. "I’ve always done the right things on and off the field. I think that’s who I am as a person. Being more outspoken and reaching out to guys, not just in my group. I’ve always had the impact on my group, but now I’m trying to touch other guys in different positions and on the other side of the ball.”

Dale said that with so many seniors on Alabama's defensive line this season, his job as a leader has gotten easier. Having influences over his years with the Crimson Tide has also given him guidance on how to lead his teammates.

“I think it happened naturally for me. I’ve been in a room with different leaders," Dale said. "For example my first year Raekwon Davis was kind of the guy and the last couple of years Phil Mathis was the guy. I try to take different things from them and learn from them as they tried to groom me into being a more outspoken leader.”

Senior linebacker To'oTo'o said that during his first year with the Crimson Tide last season, Dale was someone that has been a leader since he set foot at The Capstone.

“DJ has always been a great leader," To'oTo'o said. "He’s a set-example kind of guy. He’s going to go out and work his tail off every single day — give his best effort — so he’s kind of been huge for that d-line group, especially the whole defense. He’s an older guy, everybody looks up to him and he’s gone a great job.”

This story will be updated with video from Friday's press conference.

Gallery: DJ Dale Practice Highlights