Nick Saban says Alabama's transfer departures had option to play in Sugar Bowl, chose not to
NEW ORLEANS — No. 5 Alabama has a difficult challenge ahead when it faces off against a top-10 team in Kansas State in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Saturday. The Crimson Tide are currently 6.5-point favorites, according to VegasInsider, but as we’ve learned in several other games this season, those betting lines aren’t always accurate.
One obstacle that Alabama coach Nick Saban and the rest of the Crimson Tide are dealing with is the transfer portal. I’m not just talking about roster management concerns for 2023 either. I’m also talking about depth issues that have now been created as this matchup against the Wildcats quickly approaches.
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Alabama has seen more than 10 of its players enter the transfer portal since the beginning of December. According to Saban, all of those players still had the option to play in Saturday’s game, but they chose not to. The legendary head coach has his concerns about those decisions, too.
“Even though we didn’t have any opt-outs, we have like 10 guys that got in the portal,” Saban said while speaking to the media on Friday. “And I gave them all the opportunity to play in the game if they wanted to, and they didn’t. I don’t know if that’s a good thing for players not to have to stay committed to their team for the entire season.”
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The losses have come at every level of the depth chart.
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We’ve seen starters such as Javion Cohen, Traeshon Holden and JoJo Earle enter. Key backups like Amari Kight and Khyree Jackson are also gone. Then, there’s depth missing from the back half of the roster. That includes guys like Aaron Anderson, Tommy Brockermeyer and Tanner Bowles.
All of these guys had a right to make their own decision. The same can be said for projected top-10 NFL draft picks such as Will Anderson Jr. and Bryce Young. Those two, as well as other key pieces such as Jordan Battle and Henry To’oTo’o, chose a different route.
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