Alabama Cornerback Dijon Lee Jr. Taking Strides in Development

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Alabama freshman cornerback Dijon Lee has made several key plays for the Crimson Tide this season. The 6-foot-4, 202-pound freshman from Carson, California, is back in his home state as the Tide prepares to take on the Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

Get our free mobile app

"It's a surreal thing. Being from California, the Rose Bowl is kinda like the Auburn game for you guys," Lee said on Tuesday, "we know everything about the Rose Bowl. It's just a surreal moment for real."

Lee has made big plays this season for Alabama, notably, a game-sealing interception on Missouri quarterback Beau Pribula in the Tide's 27-24 victory over the Tigers in October. He credited his ability to understand Kane Wommack's defensive scheme to a similar scheme that he ran in high school, and defensive backs coach Maurice Linguist explaining things on a personal level to the young players on the team.

"Coming from high school, I kinda had a similar defense, so it really wasn't that hard to adapt to it," he said. "It was really just a couple of different calls, different signals; coming in, it was kinda just the same thing for me.

"[Coach Maurice Linguist] breaks the game down so easy, ABC, 123. Everything that we see in the film room comes alive in practice, comes alive in the game. So, I just trust him in everything that we do.

"If you don't have a connection with the coach, I feel like you're not really gonna trust him, what he says, or what he does. Since me and him have a great connection, it's easier to connect and understand what he's said."

Lee has totaled 31 tackles, four pass breakups, and two interceptions as a freshman for Alabama this season.

Alabama will face No. 1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl on Thursday, January 1, 2026, in Pasadena, California. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. CT.

Our coverage of the Rose Bowl between Alabama and Indiana is provided by Taco Casa. Under the biggest cactus in town, Taco Casa has provided quality taste and value since 1974.

Our coverage of the Rose Bowl between Alabama and Indiana is provided by Academy Sports and Outdoors. For all your team apparel or outdoor needs, visit Academy Sports and Outdoors.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.