Nick Saban on recruiting transfer portal: Shouldn't recruit them if you don't have an immediate need

Nick Saban had quite a year recruiting in the transfer portal for Alabama this year. The Crimson Tide brought in some big names — and they all have a chance to make an instant impact.

That wasn’t an accident, based on Saban’s comments on Always College Football.

Alabama brought in five transfers this year, including three in the top 10 of the On3 Transfer Portal Rankings. Jahmyr Gibbs is the biggest name, coming from Georgia Tech as the No. 3-ranked transfer, while former Georgia wide receiver Jermaine Burton and former LSU cornerback Eli Ricks checked in as the No. 6 and No. 8 transfers, respectively.

They all have roles waiting for them in Tuscaloosa, and Saban said that’s a big part of his approach to recruiting the portal.

“I think we’ve always had opportunities to recruit transfers, mostly junior college transfers,” Saban said. “Most of the time, they need to play wherever they go. So you shouldn’t be recruiting them unless you need them to play. That’s the way I look at it because we’ve always been [about] recruit young players and develop them. I still think that concept of having a great program that develops people, that develops good students and careers, develops football players who have a chance to play at the next level, I still think those things create the most value for players.

“So that’s what we try to stay focused on. Hopefully, because players recognize that, they see that they have a better chance to be successful if they stay with that in terms of creating value for their future. I don’t think we’ve changed the way we recruit freshmen or incoming players from high school.”

Nick Saban on recruiting the transfer portal: ‘There has to be a fit’

Saban also noted there’s a reason players leave their previous schools, so coaches have to have roles for them if they want to land their commitment. However, there are still similarities to recruiting transfers and recruiting at the high school level.

“I do think that opportunity to play and to have a role on a team or an older player who is going to transfer in your program and only be there for a year or two is much more important,” Saban said. “You want them to continue to develop so that they create value and they have to buy into the principles and values of the organization and they’re going to help them do that personally, academically and athletically. But at the same time, the reason they’re leaving wherever they’re leaving is because they’re looking for a better opportunity. So therefore, you have to have an opportunity.

“There has to be a fit. You’re going to get guys, they’re not going to be happy when they get here because they’re not going to have a role, the very role that they were looking for. So you’ve got to make sure that they’re a good fit. But I think that’s important when you hire somebody to be on your coaching staff. It’s the same kind of deal. I do think it’s a little bit different, in that regard.”