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DB Maurice Smith granted release from Alabama

Former Alabama defensive back Maurice Smith (No. 21) in 2015 with the Crimson Tide: Christopher Hanewinckel - USA TODAY Sports

The auction for Maurice Smith is now open.

Head coach Nick Saban has dropped his grip on the veteran defensive back, granting him a release from the University of Alabama. Information regarding this first broke via Tuscaloosa News, as Smith had been trying to leave the program all summer. The former four-star recruit and member of the Tide’s 2013 signing class played in 38 games, while totaling 38 tackles and five pass breakups.

Despite Smith wanting to go to Georgia, the responsibility of approving his waiver for another program within the Southeastern Conference still falls on the SEC office. Saban addressed the media on the situation during his press conference on Wednesday, after the team’s eighth practice session.

“We have done everything that we can do institutionally to allow the conference to make the decision about whatever they decide is in the best interest of the conference and the SEC rules relative to Maurice Smith,” Saban said. “So that is past us now. It is beyond us. We don’t really need to talk about that anymore and I don’t have any other comments to make about it. We’re trying to focus on the guys we have here and what we need to do to help those guys have a chance to be successful.”

Whether the SEC approves the waiver or not, Smith got his wish in being a free man and now Alabama can return to preparing for the upcoming season and a shot at national title No. 17.

Stephen Smith is a 2015 graduate of the University of Alabama. He is a senior writer and reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. He has covered Alabama football for 15 years and his knowledge and coverage of the Crimson Tide's program have made him among the most respected journalist in his field. Smith has been featured on ESPN and several other marquee outlets as an analyst.

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