TUSCALOOSA — Former Alabama defensive lineman Darrington Sentimore now plays for Tennessee, and some of his ex-teammates remember him fondly, even if Sentimore said Tuesday he “regrets” coming to Tuscaloosa.

“He always had a lot of energy when he was here,” Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley said. “He was fun to be around and always made us laugh. He’s found his way back to a big school, and I wish him the best in the game.”

Sentimore signed with Alabama in 2009 out of Destrehan High in Norco, La. He redshirted in 2009 and played in 11 games as a reserve in 2010. Tide coach Nick Saban suspended him indefinitely from the team in June 2011 because of off-the-field issues, and Sentimore transferred to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College for the 2011 season.

Sentimore transferred to Tennessee and has started five of the Vols’ six games this year and leads the team with three sacks and four tackles for loss. He doesn’t seem to care for Saban now.

Tuesday, Sentimore said said he wants to beat Alabama because “I want to beat Saban.”

“With some players, he’ll see you in the hallway and walk right past you like he doesn’t see you,” Sentimore said.

Tennessee coach Derek Dooley said Sentimore is an emotional guy.

“I’m sure he says things and does things that he looks back on and wishes he (hadn’t) and that is part of maturing,” Dooley said. “We’ve had a lot of discussions with him, and Darrington has made a lot of mistakes that he acknowledges. That is just part of his growth.”

On Monday, Saban said Sentimore was a good player at Alabama.

“I hope he’s doing what he needs to do off the field, in school,” Saban said. “His problems here were not relative to being a football player. It had nothing to do with pass rush or sacks, or any of that.”

Ex-Vol on staff

Alabama linebackers coach Lance Thompson spent the previous three seasons coaching Tennessee’s defensive line, and Mosley said that is an advantage — but not a huge one.

“Oh, yeah, he’s still doing his job,” Mosley said. “He’s got a little intel, a little more, but we’ve still got to prepare just like it’s another game.”