By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

Former Ocean Springs High standout Bray Hubbard wrapped up his second season at the University of Alabama this week in impressive fashion.

The 6-foot-2, 204-pound sophomore safety registered nine total tackles, which tied for second most on the Crimson Tide, in a 19-13 loss to defending national champion Michigan Tuesday in the Reliaquest Bowl in Tampa, Fla. The Wolverines came up with a 19-13 win to drop Alabama to 9-4 on the season.

The performance by Hubbard continued an impressive late season stretch for the former Greyhound after he burst upon the scene for the Crimson Tide when he settled into a starting role in the Crimson Tide secondary in late October after an injury to a teammate.

Hubbard’s best overall performance came in Alabama’s penultimate regular season contest in a loss on the road to Oklahoma when he recorded 11 total tackles and forced a fumble.

He followed that up with a four tackle outing against arch-rival Auburn in the annual Iron Bowl, when he also picked off an interception in Alabama’s 28-14 win.

Hubbard had seven total tackles and an interception in a his first start during a 34-0 thumping of visiting Missouri for Homecoming at The Cap Stone.

He ends up his second campaign with 57 total tackles, which is fifth overall on the team this year. He collected 35 solo stops, as well as three interceptions, two pass breakups and that one forced fumble.

Hubbard drew high praise from both head coach Kalen Deboer and defensive coordinator Kane Wommack earlier in the season for being prepared to step up into the starting role after the injury to his teammate occurred.

“Bray’s been working hard for this opportunity,” DeBoer said. “He worked, not just last week, but every week to be ready, and we had no doubt he would be when he was called upon. Our team really believes in him. He does a lot of things on special teams. You can see it every day in practice. He’s been around the program, and now this is that time, that next-man-up mentality that we talk about, and that’s what it’s got to be. I know the high-level want-to that he has.”

Hubbard, who wears number 18 for the Crimson Tide, saw limited time on the field during his freshman season in Tuscaloosa playing in nine games including the SEC Championship game against Georgia and then the National College Football Championship semifinal against eventual national champ Michigan.

Hubbard became the first and only back-to-back Class 6A Mr. football in the state of Mississippi while leading the Greyhounds to consecutive unbeaten seasons and Region 4-6A titles during his junior and senior seasons and then shifted his future endeavors to the gridiron and eventually signed with the perennial national power. He was also named as the Class 6A All-State Most Valuable Player and quarterback. He enrolled early at Alabama mid-way through his senior year at OSHS.