TUSCALOOSA -- Sophomore safety Ronnie Harrison considers himself a highly-competitive person. Most people would agree with that after seeing he and fellow safety Eddie Jackson’s spat on the sideline during the USC game.

But that “little clash,” as Harrison phrased it, is in the past, and “we’re all good now.” Outside of that camera-catching incident, though, Alabama’s new free safety has always played with a bit of an attitude, a chip on his shoulder if you will, since his days at Florida State University School. And he has used that in taking on a bigger role this fall, in the secondary and as a leader.

“Coming out of high school, I really wasn’t highly-recruited, so coming here, I kinda came in with a chip on my shoulder, trying to prove myself and show everybody I could play,” Harrison said this week in his first media room appearance since Signing Day. “I just came in, worked hard. The older guys noticed it, Reggie Ragland and all them. I just came in and tried to work.”

That work paid off as Harrison started at Money, the sixth defensive back, in the Crimson Tide’s secondary last year and was promoted to free safety in base and nickel this season. The former four-star recruit has recorded three tackles, one quarterback hurry and an interception in the back end of the defense this year and has been one of the more physical players.

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Harrison is learning from Jackson, who has taught him a lot since he enrolled early last January and stepped into starting spot. And the teacher has watched the understudy develop in several areas since his freshman year a season ago.

“Ronnie has always been a guy who has been physical,” Jackson said. “He’s always been a guy who could play the ball. He’s picked up a leadership role, holding guys accountable, especially the younger guys. Letting guys follow his lead.”

That physicality is apparent to the players Harrison faces in practice. Wideout ArDarius Stewart can attest to that, but he said all the defensive backs possess that quality. “That’s just how they teach you, that’s just the Bama way.”

While Harrison and the Alabama defense has played a physical brand of football and with more speed, the game itself has slowed down for the Tallahassee, native, as he described his biggest improvement from Year 1 to Year 2.

“Just being more patient, being more confident, knowing the plays better, being able to read offenses better,” Harrison said. “Just being more physical, just my technique, just a lot of stuff I've really improved on this summer.”

Harrison played a lot as a true freshman last year and made a key play in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, breaking up a would-be touchdown in the end zone. Last season, he even spent time at free safety, his primary position now and preparing him for this year. But away from the Xs and Os, he is using his competitive and emotional nature to become a more vocal leader for the Tide’s relatively young defensive backs.

“I feel like I have more of a leadership role,” Harrison said. “We have a lot of young guys in our secondary, like Shyheim (Carter), Jared Mayden, Aaron Robinson, so I just kinda try to take those guys under my wing now that I'm a starter. I just try to be more of a leader."

Being viewed as a leader and one of the old guys in the secondary in only his second year is not strange, though.

“I played quarterback in high school, so I’ve always been the leader type,” he said. “It’s not really hard for me.”

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