Alabama football’s Shane Lee is heading to California.
Alabama football has been active in the Transfer Portal on both ends. They’ve added three of the best non-quarterback prospects this offseason, but they’ve also lost talent at key positions. Receivers have entered the portal. Multiple quarterbacks have found new teams. Alabama has also seen a few linebackers enter the portal, and one has found a new home in California.
Shane Lee announced that he is committing to USC. With multiple years of eligibility left, he will have time to make a name for himself in the Pac-12.
Lee was known mostly for starting as a true freshman due to injuries at inside linebacker. Credit Lee for taking on the toughest role in Alabama football’s defense as a true freshman, but he still lacked the skill necessary to succeed as an inside linebacker. This was the weakest group in the Tide’s defense, and miscommunications led to multiple mistakes in 2019.
Since then, Lee has been buried behind Christian Harris, Jaylen Moody and other linebackers on the depth chart. He rarely saw the field, and it was almost always in garbage time. With Henry To’o To’o returning, Lee decided to try to play elsewhere.
This is a rare situation where a transfer makes sense for both parties. Lee deserves a chance to prove himself, and Alabama was not going to give him that opportunity. He can now fight for a starting role with a team on the rise.
USC has plenty of hope after hiring Lincoln Riley. The Pac-12 is begging for a team to take over, and the Trojans are poised to do that if the offense improves. With Riley in charge, that seems inevitable.
Alabama football may see the Trojans in the College Football Playoff down the road, which would lead to a rematch between a player and his former team. We saw that with Jerome Ford last year, and we just might see it again.