Antonio Carter will not settle for the time period snake-bit as an evidence, however the former Alabama football vast receiver is however dismayed by the variety of gamers from the Crimson Tide’s 2001 team, Carter’s final earlier than accidents beset his profession, who’ve died too younger. Unfortunately, the checklist grew this week when former operating again Ahmaad Galloway was discovered lifeless in his house at age 42.
Carter’s roommates throughout his Alabama profession have been linebacker Victor Ellis, who died of most cancers at age 28 in 2008, and operating again Santonio Beard, who died of a gunshot wound 11 months in the past at age 41.
Wide receiver Kip Williams died in a automotive accident at age 22, in 2004.
Center Montre Walker died of an unintended taking pictures at age 25, in 2006.
“I do not know that we’re snake-bit, however I’m a person of robust religion, and God referred to as all these guys residence,” stated Carter, who’s now a large receivers coach at Miles College in Fairfield. “God wished them with him, not with us.”
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Galloway was an English trainer at Compton-Drew Middle School in St. Louis, and was reportedly discovered lifeless when the college performed a welfare test. The trigger stays undetermined.
He was well-known for being mature and pushed to management on that 2001 team, however there was a lot extra to him. He appreciated loud music, which might blare from his inexperienced Jeep Cherokee and announce his presence as he drove into the football complicated. Former Alabama defensive again Chris James remembers Galloway for his wit, recalling an unmatched banter that used to shuttle in the locker room between Galloway and cornerback Gerald “Smoke” Dixon. And Dennis Alexander, a former UA offensive lineman who can be on the teaching employees at Miles, remembers their rides residence collectively. Both from the Memphis space, Galloway would typically drive Alexander to and from UA when gamers had sufficient time without work to go residence.
“At that point there have been much more nation roads between Memphis and Tuscaloosa, and he’d honk in any respect these individuals out on their porches,” Alexander stated. “I requested if he knew them. He’d say ‘No, I’m simply talking to them, saying good day.'”
Galloway hosted Alexander on his official go to to Alabama, and was a major cause he signed with UA. Once he arrived, Galloway supplied a supply of encouragement.
“At one level early in my profession I assumed I wasn’t ok, however he pulled me to the aspect and simply stated: ‘You’re ok, you are simply not prepared,'” Alexander stated. “That did rather a lot for my shallowness and confidence.”
Most of all, nevertheless, gamers recall Galloway’s regular and decided lifestyle as each participant and scholar. He was the participant no person wished to disappoint; he lived a powerful instance, and wasn’t shy about holding others accountable.
“I had lots of enjoyable in school, however he was one who would say, ‘AC, not tonight,'” Carter stated. “He’d say “AC, did you go to class at this time? AC, did you go to check corridor final evening?’ He was at all times for doing the best factor.”
In Galloway and Beard, that 2001 team has now misplaced each members of a dashing tandem that flourished in coach Dennis Franchione’s choice offense and peaked in the 2001 Iron Bowl. The Crimson Tide was squarely in the spoiler function that yr, as Auburn solely wanted a house win over a 4-5 Alabama team to win the SEC West. Instead, the UA protection shut down Auburn’s star dashing tandem of Carnell “Cadillac” Williams and Ronnie Brown, whereas Galloway and Beard have been unstoppable in dashing for a mixed 326 yards. Galloway ran for 127 yards on solely 14 carries in a 31-7 Alabama win, whereas Beard ran 20 instances for 199.
Carter nonetheless calls Beard’s outdated telephone quantity as soon as in some time, despite the fact that he is aware of his former teammate will not choose up. Beard is listed as “Bentley” in Carter’s telephone contacts, a nickname impressed by that 2001 Iron Bowl efficiency, after which Beard joked that if Williams deserved to be referred to as Cadillac, he absolutely was a Bentley. Just a pair weeks earlier than Galloway’s dying, Carter reached Galloway by way of Facetime for the primary time in greater than a yr, and says he’ll maintain as his remaining reminiscence the smile Galloway flashed when he spoke of his pleasure to show eighth-grade English.
“Ahmaad was an exquisite teammate, and an exquisite buddy. I do know these numbers do not ring anymore,” Carter stated. “But I’ll by no means delete them.”
Reach Chase Goodbread at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter @chasegoodbread.
