Despite Kalen DeBoer and Courtney Morgan's best efforts in explaining Alabama's recruiting and roster retention strategy, Alabama fans have been quick to panic over a recruiting class that ranks demonstrably lower than any in recent memory.
This is, of course, a new era of college football with NIL and the Transfer Portal, but it'll take some getting used to. Winning cures all ailments, so success on the gridiron this fall will have folks quickly forgetting where this class ends up.
While some fans may not understand it, former players AJ McCarron and Trent Richardson were quick to go to bat for DeBoer and the Tide's recruiting class on the latest episode of The Dynasty podcast.
AJ McCarron and Trent Richardson support Alabama's recruiting/roster strategy
“He told you what the plan was,” McCarron said. “I think in this day and age, if you can retain guys and create a culture and build a culture and make it to where it feels like it’s old school a little bit, like while we were playing, I think that’s the route to go.”
"He’s trying to develop guys; he’s trying to contain his roster, which I get," Richardson added.
Former players have not been shy about bashing the new era of Alabama football. That was even happening during Nick Saban's final year as the head coach, and that has echoed even louder under DeBoer. When two prominent former Tide players go to bat over something controversial like this recruiting class, people are apt to listen.
Alabama is not spending a ton of money on this high school class. That doesn't mean they aren't going to sign some highly regarded players. They've already landed some talented players, such as 5-star QB Elijah Haven and the recently committed 4-star WR Osani Gayles. There will be more to come.
But Alabama's top priority is retaining the talented, albeit young, roster they currently have. There are only nine seniors on the current roster, several of whom will have an additional year of eligibility thanks to the new five-for-five rule.
DeBoer and Morgan like where the Tide's roster sits. They're happy with the young talent that has been accumulated.
Richardson made an even better point during the podcast. This is Alabama. What other people think about the program is irrelevant.
"I said this once before, and I heard this from Christion Jones. When have we ever let somebody outside the building dictate what we got going on in here?”
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