It was the matchup everyone had been waiting for. Not the University of Alabama vs. Michigan State, but A'Shawn Robinson vs. Dalvin Tomlinson

The two Crimson Tide defensive linemen faced off in a wrestling match a few weeks ago, Robinson said last week. The bout pitted Robinson, perhaps the best athlete on UA's defensive line, against Tomlinson, a state champion wrestler during his high school career in Georgia.

Tomlinson had defeated all comers in the UA locker room to this point. Jarran Reed Daron Payne and D.J. Pettway had fallen to Tomlinson, but Robinson was a different beast. He's listed at 312 pounds to Tomlinson's 294, and he showcased his explosiveness earlier this year when he leapt over an offensive lineman to block an extra point against LSU.

It could appropriately be called a heavyweight match. So what happened?

"We were really going at it, then I got tired," Robinson said. "I was like: 'I'm done with this.' He got me."

Tomlinson kept his title as the locker room's undefeated champ.

He's also gotten plenty of respect for his play this season. Tomlinson hasn't started a game this year, but has played in every contest as a key piece in Alabama's deep defensive line rotation. He has 30 tackles and six pass breakups, the most of any player on the defensive line.

"Dalvin has been great," Robinson said. "Pretty much anybody on the team could start anywhere, at any university … He has the ability to do anything anybody else could do. It's been great to have Dalvin out there on the team and be able to do that."

Part of that can be attributed to his wrestling skills. The grappling techniques, hand placement and body control in wrestling all translate well to defensive line play.

"You have to use technique with your hands and everything," Robinson said. "As a defensive lineman, the offensive lineman is about getting his hands inside. He has the best hand technique."

That technique is what helped him get the best of Robinson. The match lasted about two rounds, Robinson said. Tomlinson had said earlier this season he thought he'd win a match between the two.

There may be another challenger yet for Tomlinson. Sophomore Da'Shawn Hand hasn't had his turn yet.

"Da'Shawn took wrestling too, so we're waiting to see that, but they won't let that happen," Robinson said.

A new world

Mark Ingram (2009). Derrick Henry has had a whirlwind few days since winning the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night when he became the University of Alabama's second Heisman winner, joining(2009).

Henry appeared on Fox News and the CBS NFL pregame show on Sunday and followed it up with several media interviews Monday, including the Dan Patrick radio show and ESPN radio.

Henry also met with children at a New York-area hospital, where he signed footballs, took pictures with and spent time with the children.

Special coach

He isn't heard from and he's not often seen, but running backs coach Burton Burns is an integral part of the Alabama coaching staff. Just ask his players.

Glen Coffee, Mark Ingram, Trent Richardson, Eddie Lacy, T.J. Yeldon and now The list of players the 63-year-old running backs coach has tutored is staggering. In his nine years in Tuscaloosa, he's coachedand now Derrick Henry

Every one of those players was drafted by an NFL team and Henry is sure to follow whether it's the 2016 or 2017 NFL Draft. Ingram and Henry won the Heisman Trophy and Richardson finished third in Heisman balloting in 2013. Yeldon is high up on the UA career rushing list.

Burns is also developing two five-star running backs in Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough

Earning respect

Even in its lone loss this season, Alabama walked away with respect from its opponent. Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell said UA is a tough matchup for any team.

"You have to be ready to go to war," Treadwell said. "That's a great team, all 11 guys on both sides of the ball, kickoff and return. They're going to give you their best game and they're going to play through adversity. Even when we were up by, I think, 20 points, a lot of our guys thought the game was over and here comes Alabama marching back. We beat them by like seven or something. That's a credit to their players and their coaches. They get those guys ready to play with everything they've got."

Player of the week

Senior guard Retin Obasoahan was named the SEC player of the week, it was announced on Monday. Obasohan scored a career-high 23 points in a 51-50 win at Clemson on Sunday night to lead all scorers. He was 9 of 16 from the field and 4 of 7 from 3-point range in UA's only game of the week.

Alabama is back at Coleman Coliseum on Wednesday night against Winthrop after a five-game road trip.

Staff writer Aaron Suttles contributed to this report. Reach Ben Jones at ben@tidesports.com or 205-722-0196.