Alabama football is going through a serious attrition right now.
Coaches have left, players are pursuing other options in the transfer portal, and recruits have backed off commitments.
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All of this has happened since Nick Saban announced his retirement from coaching last week after 17 years of consistency at the University of Alabama. Kalen DeBoer, the new head coach for the Crimson Tide, has went to work assembling a staff and keep some players on the roster, but the Tide has lot several critical pieces. In the midst of Tide fans upset and rival fans excited, two defensive stars from the Saban era at Alabama criticized the “commitment” of players that entered the NCAA transfer portal.
Courtney Upshaw and Tim Williams were two of the best edge rushers under Saban.
Both were national champions and made life a nightmare for quarterbacks and running backs. Upshaw says athlete are all about chasing the bag now and Williams wonders if the players were even committed to Alabama at all.
Them boys chasing that 💰
— Courtney Upshaw Sr (@c_upshaw_41) January 17, 2024
Upshaw and Williams were committed to the culture, pageantry, history, and tradition of Alabama football.
They were committed to making the Crimson Tide a national championship program. However, the priorities of the sport have changed. Athletes now come to school for the best NIL opportunities. If you don’t have the financial abundance, the recruits do not see your program as attractive to attend. Hopefully, Alabama will have what it needs when the smoke clears.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
