All eyes have been on the University of Alabama football program since Nick Saban retired from coaching.
Kalen DeBoer has assembled a coaching staff and has several players bought into him as the new Crimson Tide head football coach, but he’s had to deal with a lot of players leaving the program. Some feel that Alabama does not mean the same if Saban is not the head coach; however, others are willing to hear DeBoer’s process.
Former players of the Saban era at Alabama are not liking the mentality of current players chasing name, image, and likeness over the love the game, but that is the situation we are in for college football. Alphonse Taylor, a University of Alabama alumnus, was a two-time national champion under Saban in 2012 and 2015.
He helped the Tide to four Southeastern Conference titles (2012, 2014-16) as an offensive lineman and a Joe Moore Award in 2015. The offensive line coach for Alma Bryant High School had an important message for players transferring.
Players transfer everyday that doesn’t bother me. What bothers me is being one game away from the National Championship game and instead of running it back you transfer. On top of that you get a coach who was just in the National Championship game. It’s no longer about winning.
— Alphonse Taylor (@SHANKK50) January 17, 2024
Taylor, a native of Mobile, Ala., does not understand why players would choose to walk away from their teammates after coming so close to winning a College Football Playoff National Championship in 2023. Then, the Tide gets a head coach that was in the CFP National Championship Game with Washington, but athletes do not want to hear out his vision.
Marquis Maze, a former Alabama wide receiver, said it best when he stated on social media to ‘focus on the players that are here.’ The ones who are win want to win with Coach DeBoer. They desire to push Alabama football into the post Nick Saban era and continue a strong culture.
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Those who left may not care about winning, but those who stayed want Alabama to be successful.
Tide fans looks forward to seeing the players who stayed in April’s spring game.
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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.
