Regardless, the departure of Alabama’s Nick Saban was always going to resonate across sports.
But since the decision to step down on Jan. 10 — nine days after the Crimson Tide lost to Michigan in the College Football Playoff national semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game — the program has been under scrutiny regarding player retention.
As of Jan. 19, 10 Alabama players have entered the transfer portal since the announcement, with safety Caleb Downs, wide receiver Isaiah Bond and offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor among the biggest dropouts.
New coach Kalen DeBoer rose to one of the nation’s most important jobs after going 25-3 in two years in Washington, a tenure capped by a trip to the CFP national title game.
It will be fascinating to anticipate how DeBoer, who has a 104-12 career record as a head coach, handles the SEC recruiting scene.
Below is a chronological list of Alabama players who have entered the transfer portal since Saban’s announcement on Jan. 10:
Bond, who has since transferred to Texas, was likely the biggest reason Alabama reached the College Football Playoff in 2023.
His 31-yard catch on a four-and-out against Auburn gave the Crimson Tide a victory of 27-24 in the playoffs in the Iron Bowl.
He led the team with 48 turnovers, 668 yards and four scores. Shawn Murphy played in 13 games for Alabama last season and recorded three tackles (two solo).
He was ranked 37th overall in the 2022 ESPN 300 and was the best inside linebacker this cycle.
