After the Playoff disappointment, a 24-hour rule for moving on was not sufficient. It may take several days or weeks for many Crimson Tide fans to move on. There is another 'consolation' game to be played on Dec. 31. It is an important one for two reasons. Reaching a 10-win milestone for the 17th consecutive season would be no small achievement.
Another less obvious reason beating Michigan is so important is the game is a transition to the 2025 season. In some ways, it will come close to being Game 1 of Kalen DeBoer's second Alabama season.
The Alabama Crimson Tide roster is expected to take the Michigan game seriously. Kalen DeBoer is not expecting many opt-outs from the players expected to be in the 2025 NFL Draft. There will be some bowl attrition from players in the Transfer Portal. The early count is 10 players intending to transfer. Last season Alabama Football had 31 Transfer Portal exits. An early guess is in this cycle, the total number will be less than 20.
Of the 10 players already in the Transfer Portal; several could do well with a fresh start. Kendrick Law was never fully utilized by the Crimson Tide. Caleb Odom and Kobe Prentice should be welcome additions to other teams. Miles McVay could be a good fit for a different offensive system. All of the others could become starters on FBS teams.
At this point, while Alabama is losing some talented players, the Crimson Tide is losing very little production. Alabama football fans wish them luck with their future teams.
In terms of transfer additions, off-ball linebackers, defensive line, offensive tackle, tight end, and wide receiver are positions needing 2025 contributors. A quick visit is taking place this week, with NCSU wide receiver transfer Kevin Concepcion visiting Tuscaloosa. He also has a trip scheduled to Texas A&M. Concepcion was a Freshman All-Amercian at NCSU in the 2023 season, along with being the ACC Rookie of the Year. He is considered a good fit for Kalen DeBoer's offense and a top priority for the Crimson Tide.
The 2024 Alabama Football Season
The tweet below, showing photos from the Alabama Football Awards Banquet, includes an important perspective on why these players should be genuinely appreciated.
This season didn’t end how we wanted it to, but we need to remember these guys as the ones who held this program together when Saban retired. I appreciate each one of them. https://t.co/56rjWT0dLM
— Andrew (@aterry65) December 9, 2024
No doubt none of them are happy with the results. A possible 10-3 finish, in a transition season that began with an offseason exodus of players; it was probably unrealistic to expect much more.