Alabama Football: Crimson Tide should have roster room if needed

The building of the 2022 Alabama football roster will not be complete for months. The earliest likely date is sometime in May. The NCAA deadline for an exiting player to inform his current school of his transfer intent is May 1, for 2022, and all subsequent years.

‘After spring football practices’ becomes the late window to transfer out and have a chance to play elsewhere in the 2022 season. Alabama football players seeking to use spring practice to clarify their 2022 roles will take a risk. The later a player goes into the Portal, the less chance they will find a new and acceptable football home.

Does that mean more Alabama football players should enter the Portal now? Such decisions depend on the specific circumstances of each player. Making a decision is often difficult

Tide fans root for former Alabama football players

With limited exceptions, Alabama football fans don’t openly root for a player to leave. The players that do leave, are nearly always appreciated for their time in Tuscaloosa. In many cases, fans have a strong desire to see players prosper in a new opportunity. Next fall, there will be Alabama football fans paying attention to Arkansas State and Georgia Tech because of King Mwikuta and Pierce Quick. No Tide fan will root for the Aggies to put up much fight when Utah State visits Tuscaloosa next fall. But more than a few of us would enjoy seeing Xavier Williams start and play well.

The reality of big-time college football is, even college football’s greatest program of all time, can become a bad fit for a player. Playing football is hard work. Doing it month after month, season after season, with little or no game action warrants trying another opportunity.

Most players who leave the Crimson Tide program do it with a heavy heart. They are leaving friends and mentors behind. Almost to a player, they will acknowledge their appreciation for the coaches and staff in the Alabama program.

So far, 12 players from the 2021 roster have either transferred or are currently in the Transfer Portal. There will likely be more. Another two or three, maybe more. Looking at the roster and not identifying players by name, there are another three to six guys, most having been in Tuscaloosa for three seasons or longer, who could benefit from a transfer.

Alabama Football Player Bios here.

Should mutual decisions lead to more exits, Nick Saban might add another transfer or two for the 2022 season. He will have plenty of options.