During the first part of this week, Alabama head coach Nick Saban and a select group of Crimson Tide players devoted considerable time toward eulogizing the college career of Shaun Dion Hamilton.
The fractured right kneecap Hamilton suffered Saturday in a victory over LSU dampened the spirits of a team that has yet to drop a game this season.
"He was just a great athlete but a great person, and his loss definitely devastated us," said senior Rashaan Evans.
Echoing Evans, linebacker Keith Holcombe said, "It's really tough to see S.D.H go down like that. We all feel for him because he was a leader, he was a big-time player for this defense, a great friend of mine and I just hate to see him come back from what he did last year, playing a great season, and now back in a season-ending injury.