'Their third string is better than some Power 5 team’s starters:' Nick Saban retirement triggers Alabama portal frenzy

Alabama head coach Nick Saban officially announced his retirement on Wednesday night, bringing a close to the greatest run by a college football coach of all time.

He won six national championships in 17 seasons with the Crimson Tide. Alabama produced 123 NFL Draft picks during his tenure. The former LSU and Michigan State head coach went out on top, too, leading the Tide back to the College Football Playoff after a one-year hiatus and going to overtime against Michigan on New Year’s Day at the Rose Bowl.

There will be time to debate where he stands in the Mount Rushmore of college football coaches and what team was Saban’s best during his run in Tuscaloosa. But there are more immediate repercussions. For starters, athletic director Greg Byrne now has to find a replacement for the most revered coach in college sports.

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Roster retention will be a 1B to finding a successor. According to NCAA rules, a head coach leaving or taking a new job triggers a 30-day transfer portal window for athletes to leave the institution.

“Their third string is better than some Power 5 team’s starters,” a recruiting director told On3.

With the one-time transfer rule, athletes can play immediately at new schools. Plus, the NCAA sent guidance to institutions in December that multi-time transfers who enter the transfer portal this fall will be eligible to play at a new school in the 2024-25 academic year without securing a waiver. On3 is breaking down what you need to know:

Can Alabama players enter the transfer portal?

Arguably the most talent-rich roster in the sport, Alabama athletes will have the opportunity to enter the transfer portal starting Thursday. The 30-day clock has now started. This comes just days after the Jan. 6 winter portal deadline for Alabama athletes to notify compliance plans to enter college football’s free agency. The cutoff date had already been extended, per NCAA rules, because the Tide made the College Football Playoff.

Hiring a head coach as quickly as possible will be the first step to keeping a roster together, closing of any doubt of the program’s future. Grad transfers are allowed to enter the portal at any time. Retention will be crucial for the next head coach, with NIL playing a vital role in keeping rosters together in the new age of college football.

The SEC office also provided clarity to On3 that athletes will be able to transfer inside the conference during the 30-day window. The SEC previously had its own transfer portal deadline of Feb. 1 but has since adopted the NCAA calendar.

If Alabama athletes choose to not leave during the next month, they will be able to enter the portal during the NCAA’s 15-day spring window. That is scheduled from Tuesday, April 16 to Tuesday, April 30.

The SEC office also provided clarity on Friday about the spring portal window. The conference allows immediate eligibility if the transfer occurs during the window immediately following the season, or the 30 days following a coach’s departure, but not in the spring window, a representative told On3.

Is there a catch to the Alabama portal policy?

While the NCAA will not stop athletes from entering the portal, the academic calendar will play a role. The spring semester officially started on Wednesday in Tuscaloosa. A representative from the Alabama Office of the Registrar told On3 on Thursday morning that the final day for a student to drop classes is Jan. 17. After that date, students’ transcripts will show a withdrawal if they leave the university.

Alabama is not the only major institution starting up the spring semester. Clemson, Florida State, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State all started classes this week.

Athletes who want to transfer to a school in time to participate for spring practice will have to quickly make decisions to ensure they’re enrolled. For others, it could mean entering the portal and waiting to enroll at a new institution until the summer time.