Alabama picks up commitment
Killen (Ala.) standout
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William Roach has made a decision to follow his heart.
Roach, a member of the Rivals.com
Top 30 team and the No. 19 safety in the nation, says he gave
his verbal commitment to Alabama after watching the Crimson Tide crush
defending SEC champion LSU 31-0 on Saturday in Baton Rouge.
"That was just the exclamation point for me," he
said. "I was kind of leaning toward Tennessee. I was real close to
committing to them a few weeks ago, then Alabama beat them up in Knoxville
(34-14). So when they went out and did that to LSU, that pretty much settled
it for me. That's the kind of team I want to play for."
Roach (6-1, 196, 4.55) said he picked the Tide over
Tennessee, Ole Miss, LSU and South Carolina.
"I'm glad to have the recruiting process wrapped
up," he said. "It was kind of getting hectic. I was hearing from 3-4 coaches
every night and had the fans always asking me what I was going to do, why I
was saying this or that about a certain team. It was time to go ahead and do
the best thing for me."
Roach is rated as a top safety, but says Alabama has
targeted him as a corner. He may also get a shot to pursue his favorite
position, wide receiver, initially.
"That's where I want to play," he said. "I'd love to
be able to stick at wide receiver, but they just told me to come in, work
hard, and see what happens. It's all pretty much up to me with what I do
with the opportunity."
Roach's brother, Freddie, is a freshman linebacker
for Alabama, so the family ties were tugging at him.
"I think my family's real happy with my decision,
even though they pretty much stayed out of it and let me be my own man," he
said. "I called my brother on Monday to tell him. He was real happy about
it. He kept saying, "You made the right choice."
As a senior, Roach helped lead Brooks High School to an 11-2
record as a dual-threat quarterback. He recorded approximately 1,600 yards
in total offense and 16 touchdowns.