Alabama Football: NCAA action paves way for To’o To’o to Tide but …

Alabama Football fans have coveted inside linebacker, Henry To’o To’o since he was a 2019 recruit. When ‘Henry T’ spurned the Crimson Tide in favor of the Tennessee Vols, Tide fans were dismayed. Immediately, a wave of Crimson Tide fans accused former Alabama Football, Defensive Coordinator, Jeremy Pruitt of underhanded recruiting practices.

How good was Henry T coming out of De La Salle High School in Concord, CA? The 247Sports Composite had him as the third-best outside linebacker in the 2019 class and the No. 44 player in the nation. Alabama football coaches, along with most every other staff, wanted Henry T to play inside linebacker in college.

In two seasons playing for the Tennessee Vols, Henry T made 140 tackles, 74 of them solo tackles. He had 12.5 tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks. As the Tennessee Vol meltdown evolved, players decided to sprint away from Knoxville. Henry T was one of them and he is still available.

Note: Stats provided by sports-reference.com

Most recruiting experts have been predicting a transfer to the Alabama Crimson Tide, as long as he did not have to sit out a season. A big part of that hurdle was removed this week with the NCAA choosing to offer players, a one-time transfer with immediate eligibility. One hurdle remains for Henry T to transfer to Alabama Football. It is the SEC rule that transfers within the conference must sit out a season. Other conferences, with the same restriction, have already removed that transfer impediment. The SEC is expected to do the same.

Now that Henry T has missed spring practice, the attitude of some Alabama football fans has changed. Most Tide fans continue to believe the addition of Henry T would enhance the Tide’s linebacker roster. But, currently expected inside linebacker starter, Jaylen Moody has become a Crimson Tide fan favorite.

Alabama Football 2018 Signee Jaylen Moody

Moody was a late addition to theTide’s 2018 class. Depending on the rating group, he was either a 2-Star or 3-Star recruit.  At the end of the 2018 recruiting cycle, the 247Sports Composite had Moody as a 3-Star. He was rated as the No. 48 inside linebacker and the No. 1197 player in the class. He was not even in the top 20 rankings for the best players from the state of South Carolina.

The Alabama Football staff moved to Moody late, after a more highly rated linebacker target chose to go elsewhere. Very few Crimson Tide fans were enthused by the addition of Moody. During Moody’s second season in Tuscaloosa, a couple of Alabama Football insiders agreed the young man would never be more than a special teams player.

More: Moody one of Five new faces to watch in A-Day

Jaylen became a good special teams player and late last season, Crimson Tide fans saw Moody was good playing inside linebacker as well. Late in his career, Moody has become a Crimson Tide fan favorite. So much so, that quite a few Tide fans believe Moody has earned a starting role. Moody being displaced by a ‘late-to-the-party’ Henry To’o To’o rankles those fans.

How the Henry T recruitment will play out is not known. If he joins the Crimson Tide, more than few fans will be disappointed if he bumps Jaylen Moody out of a starting role.