Alabama's Malachi Moore laments his tantrum at the end of the Vandy game

Alabama team captain Malachi Moore apologized Monday for his angry outburst at the end of Saturday's 40-35 loss to Vanderbilt, and Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said Moore will not be suspended for his actions.

Moore released a statement on X, saying he was “completely out of line.”

He added in his statement: “I let the emotions of the game take over and put myself in front of the team. As a two-time captain and fifth-year player, I understand the standard we are expected to live up to.” Alabama, and I have failed to do so by acting in selfish and unacceptable ways… I will do better in the future committed to maintaining the Alabama standard.

Moore, a longtime starter at safety, pushed the head of Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia to the ground at the end of a play. Moore also threw his mouthpiece and was assessed a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for kicking the football. The Alabama team attempted to substitute Moore at the end of the game, but he appeared to refuse to leave the field.

DeBoer said Moore “did everything he could to take responsibility” for his on-field tirade, which went viral on social media and drew sharp criticism from many in the college football world, including former Alabama Running back Damien Harris, who was part of two national championship teams at Alabama.

“I can tell you what would have happened in the days I was there,” Harris said in a podcast with The Athletic. “We would have tried to rip the 'C' off his jersey. We would have cheered him on, from every coach and every player. … Everyone would have looked at this guy’s head like we weren’t doing this.”

DeBoer defended Moore for what he meant to the program, but added that that doesn't make his actions right.

“He had my back and our back from day one,” DeBoer said. “Sometimes there comes a point where, as things go along, you have to support your man and understand that we all make mistakes and we all just have to deal with it.”

DeBoer added: “I think I want to make sure that Bama fans know that this guy was rock solid and along with others – there were others – he was instrumental in holding this thing together.” Since January, OK? When a lot of people decided to leave, this guy stood his ground.

Moore was one of the Alabama players who was most vocal in January about wanting players to support DeBoer and the new staff and not move on to other opportunities just because Nick Saban retired.

“We did our own homework as players. The guy won everywhere,” Moore told ESPN in January when DeBoer was signed. “His ambition is the same as ours, to lift this trophy at the end of the year. Last year he was one win away and that's a burden for him. As the season progresses, we definitely have a claim on ourselves.”

“We are working toward the same goal, and this time with his vision.”