Alabama Football officially has a new inside linebacker after the SEC took the expected action of allowing one-time immediate transfer eligibility. Though other conferences moved faster than the SEC, there was little doubt the SEC would decide to not restrict inner-league transfers.
Nick Saban spoke about the change Thursday at the annual Nick’s Kids Golf Tournament.
"It really is what it is. You just have to adapt to whatever it is."
Saban was commenting before the SEC action had occurred. His words also likely apply to his perspective on the changing terrain of college football recruiting. Liking or not liking the change will not matter to Saban. He will maximize the opportunity to improve his Alabama Football roster. Saban already has, with Henry To’o To’o participating in 7v7 sessions this week.
To’o To’o may or may not start at inside linebacker when the Crimson Tide season kicks off against Miami. Either way, the result will be the same for the Tennessee Vols, who lost their leading tackler from last season.
This is the kind of situation Saban tried to warn other coaches about. Multiple descriptions apply – ‘a new wild, wild west in recruiting,’ ‘the rich get richer’ and ‘let the big dog eat.’ Alabama Football will benefit from the new rule, as will other top SEC programs. The Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs will benefit the most. LSU, Texas A&M and Florida will too – just not as much as the Dawgs and the Crimson Tide.
Other SEC schools will benefit, but in some cases, incoming transfers versus exiting players will be net losses for teams. Like Tennessee, Ole Miss has lost their leading tackler to the Transfer Portal. LSU lost offensive weapon Arik Gilbert to Georgia. The plusses and minuses will not even out. Like Nick said, “it is what it is.”
Other Alabama Football news from Thursday
- Saban reported the voluntary vaccination of players and coaches has gone well. Per Nick, “we’re almost to the threshold where we won’t have to test.”
- Speaking about player leadership and the Tide’s summer program, ” I do think that the summer program is where the leadership on the team has the best chance to flourish because the coaches aren’t always around.”
In other news from the annual Nick’s Kids event, contributions from Nick and Terry Saban’s foundation have surpassed $10M dollars to groups in the state of Alabama. The eighteenth Habitat for Humanity house supported by the Sabans is nearing completion.