TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- One play after scoring a 75-yard touchdown, Ole Miss took another shot.

DaMarkus Lodge ran a go route as the split end on the right side of the formation -- a similar route to D.K. Metcalf’s scoring play to open the game. Lodge got behind Alabama cornerback Trevon Diggs, but the Crimson Tide junior made up ground to bat the ball away from the wideout.

The right corner explained exactly what happened during that play two days after it occurred.

“We were in zone. We were in three-deep zone,” Diggs said. “He was kind of in front of me a little bit, but I just kept my eyes on the receiver and not look at the ball and get out of phase.

“When I caught up I looked for the ball and just batted it down. … He did kind of have me beat a little bit, but when you’re out of phase, you’ve got to get in phase, when you’re in phase you, look for the ball so that’s what I did.”

Then, Rebels’ quarterback Jordan Ta'amu rushed for four yards on second down and threw another incompletion on third down to result in a three-and-out, giving the ball back to Alabama’s offense.

“That was a big play for us right there because he batted it down, and I feel like that made a statement throughout the night,” said Alabama redshirt junior safety Deionte Thompson after the game in Oxford, Miss. “We fed off of that, and we did a pretty good job.”

Alabama cornerback Trevon Diggs breaks up a pass intended for Ole Miss' DaMarkus Lodge.

The Tide defense only allowed Ole Miss’ SEC-leading pass attack to amass 133 yards through the air and the lone touchdown at the beginning of the game. Outside of that 75-yard score, the UA defensive backs held Ta’amu and the Rebel receivers to gain 58 yards in the contest.

Diggs was on the field for 52 snaps, which was tied with Thompson for the most of any Alabama starter on defense. Playing both cornerback and Star, Diggs registered one tackle and two pass breakups, while earning a grade of 82.6 in coverage, according to Pro Football Focus.

In his fourth game as a starter, and third of this year, Diggs showed steady improvement.

“Trevon, I think, is a guy that because we moved him over from receiver probably took a little bit of time to develop the kind of confidence in understanding exactly what he was supposed to do,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. “Now, he is actually very, very confident and played really well for us. He’s also playing some Star in some situations in the game, and he’s really learned that and made progress in that regard and gave us some diversity in the back end.

“We’re pleased with what he’s been able to do so far.”

Recording one more pass breakup (4) than tackles (3) through three games this season, Diggs has been a key cog in the Crimson Tide’s success on defense against three pass-heavy teams. And with a full year of learning Alabama’s defense behind him, he’s performing well.

“I’m a lot more confident now that I know the position, know the plays,” Diggs said. “I can play freely, and I can play fast.”

Contact Charlie Potter by 247Sports' personal messaging or on Twitter (@Charlie_Potter).

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