Tag: Keon Sabb

Kalen DeBoer says Michigan transfer Keon Sabb has ‘it’ factor

Kalen DeBoer offers high praise for Michigan transfer Keon Sabb

The Alabama Crimson Tide football team hit the practice field on Monday for the first time this spring as the Kalen DeBoer era gets underway.

Following the practice, Coach DeBoer would speak to the media about what he could see from his team, including several new faces. One such player was Michigan safety transfer Keon Sabb who recently joined the program following the departure of Jim Harbaugh in Ann Arbor.

When asked about Sabb, Coach DeBoer offered up some high praise for the talented defensive back.

“You bring in a guy like him to be an impact player for you. His experiences, not just each and every play but also the experiences in leadership that as he’s here longer and longer that we would expect from him because of the level that he took his team to, winning a championship.

“That fits in well with what we’re trying to accomplish and what we’re trying to do.”

“The character makeup aside from, of course, what we know is a great football player, he just is a really good fit for us. It’s been a pleasure getting to know him more and more each and every day, just seeing how he’s operating. Right now, he’s just going about his work, but you can tell he’s got that it factor.

“He’s got the leadership piece within him to where I know we’ll be counting on him this fall.”

Sabb appeared in 14 games and made five starts at safety for the Wolverines, and he finished the 2023-24 season with 28 tackles, seven pass breakups, and two interceptions, including a pick-six.

Sabb would show up in a big way for Michigan in the national championship game against Coach DeBoer and Washington where he totaled six tackles and two pass breakups.

With Alabama’s lack of depth in the secondary and Sabb’s experience, he will likely be an instant starter for the Tide in the backend.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the Crimson Tide has spring practice continues.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Stacey Blackwood on X (Twitter) @Blackwood89.

Pre-Spring Position Preview: Breaking down the Alabama DBs

A closer look at the Alabama defensive backs ahead of spring practice

Before we know it, new Alabama head football coach Kalen DeBoer will hit the practice field with his Crimson Tide players for the first time when spring practice gets underway in March.

With the retirement of the legendary Nick Saban, there have not been this many question marks surrounding the football program since 2007 when Saban took over.

Contrary to popular belief, Alabama still has one of the most talented rosters in the country and should be right in the thick of the college football playoff conversation.

Roll Tide Wire will preview each position group as the anticipation builds leading up to spring practice. We will wrap our series up with the Crimson Tide defensive backs.

Alabama lands commitment from Michigan transfer safety Keon Sabb

On Monday night, news broke that Michigan transfer safety Keon Sabb was transferring to Alabama. Sabb spent the past two seasons in Ann Arbor.

It did not take long for Alabama to swoop in and land one of the top available transfers in the transfer portal. On Monday, the Crimson Tide landed a commitment from Michigan transfer safety Keon Sabb.

The news could not come at a better time for Alabama. Less than a month ago, Alabama lost star safety Caleb Downs to Ohio State. Now, the expectation is that Sabb will fill in for Downs on Alabama’s defense next season.

Sabb spent two seasons in Ann Arbor. He recorded 28 tackles, six pass deflections, two interceptions, and one tackle for loss as a sophomore. Altogether, he played in 18 games for the Wolverines.

One of the best games of his young, college career came in the College Football Playoff against Washington. Sabb tallied six tackles and two pass breakups.

His presence in Alabama’s secondary will likely prove to be very valuable. During the offseason, Alabama lost four safeties to either the NFL draft or the transfer portal. Sabb is a huge pickup for first-year defensive coordinator Kane Wommack as he looks to add firepower to his newly-equipped “Swarm” defense.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest regarding the Alabama football program and its involvement in the NCAA transfer portal.

Former Michigan football S Keon Sabb selects transfer destination

Filling the vacancy left by Caleb Downs, the former Michigan Wolverines safety was picked up by the last opposing coach who saw him play.

Former Michigan football safety Keon Sabb had his second-best game, according to Pro Football Focus, in the national championship game against the Washington Huskies.

With both Rod Moore and Makari Paige having decided to come back to the Wolverines for another year, Sabb made the decision to not be a rotational player and look elsewhere. He surprised by entering the transfer portal last week. Apparently, he got then-head coach of the Huskies, Kalen DeBoer’s attention with his play in the final game of the 2023 season.

DeBoer took over Alabama and saw a mass exodus of players, including star safety Caleb Downs, who transferred to Ohio State. Enter Sabb, who reportedly has transferred to the Crimson Tide.

Michigan fans certainly held out hope that new defensive coordinator Wink Martindale and secondary coach LaMar Morgan could have convinced him to stay, but given that he likely wouldn’t have seen starters minutes with Moore and Paige coming back, it makes sense that he would look elsewhere. And though Alabama will have similar issues with a new head coach, with the vacancy left by Downs, Sabb will have an opportunity to see much more playing time in his junior season.

Sabb originally committed to Clemson and was a five-star at the time. However, just before early signing day in 2022, he flipped to the maize and blue. He saw little playing time in year one but with injuries at the safety position early in 2023, he saw the field early and often — until Moore and Paige both returned at full strength. Still, he was an integral part of former Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter’s plan against the Huskies’ vaunted pass offense and it tracks that DeBoer would covet him after seeing what he did to his former team.

Oklahoma Sooners transfer portal target listed as a rising star for the 2024 season by 247Sports

Oklahoma Sooners transfer portal target could be primed for a breakout season in 2024 per 247Sports.

The Oklahoma Sooners could potentially get a massive player via the transfer portal before the 2024 season. Michigan Wolverines safety [autotag]Keon Sabb[/autotag] entered the portal just last week.

Sabb originally was committed to the Clemson Tigers and [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] out of high school but elected to decommit and sign with Michigan after Venables departed for Oklahoma.

The defensive back has had a solid career so far at Michigan. Last year was his first year really seeing the field where he finished with 28 tackles and two interceptions. His best game came in the national championship game where he had six tackles and two pass deflections.

Due to that, 247Sports put out a list of players primed for a breakout season in 2024 and Sabb made the list.

Michigan will do everything it can to keep Keon Sabb on roster next season, but his decision to enter the transfer portal this week immediately gives college football’s free agent market a top-end option available at the safety spot. Sabb played in 14 games last fall as a redshirt freshman with increasing snaps as the season progressed, saving his best for last with a six-tackle performance in the national championship game against Washington. He’s a rangy defensive back who will assuredly start as an impact player in 2024 wherever he signs. – Brad Crawford 247Sports

Oklahoma does have a pretty loaded safety room already with [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag], [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Spears-Jennings[/autotag] coming back. But you never turn away a player that talented regardless of how loaded you are at any position.

It’s unclear how high Sabb is on the Sooners or even how hard Oklahoma is pushing but if they can land him, it would be a major get for one of the more experienced defenses in college football in 2024.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Former Rutgers football recruit Keon Sabb is in the transfer portal

Keon Sabb is in the transfer portal.

Keon Sabb is leaving Michigan, putting one of the top players produced in New Jersey over the last four years into the transfer portal. Sabb was offered by Rutgers football early in his high school recruitment.

Rutgers had offered and recruited Sabb, who was a four-star defensive back and grew up playing his high school football in New Jersey. He transferred for his senior season to play at IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida).

The news of Sabb entering the transfer portal was confirmed by the Detroit News’ Angelique Chengelis.

Prior to joining Michigan, Sabb was a member of the Rivals 250 and was the nation’s No. 96 prospect in the class of 2022 according to 247Sports. Sabb is from Glassboro, New Jersey.

Sabb cracked the two-deep at Michigan last year, registering 23 total tackles along with four passes defended and two interceptions.

Last year in the national championship game against Washington, he had six total tackles and two passes defended.

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With Jim Harbaugh leaving for the NFL, he took several members of his Michigan staff including Steve Clinkscale. The defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Michigan, Clinkscale played a large role in Sabb’s recruitment to Ann Arbor.

Rutgers has done well with a recent Michigan transfer portal addition in Aaron Lewis.

The defensive end, who is returning in 2024 for his final season with the Scarlet Knights, joined the program in the summer of 2020. Lewis had originally joined Michigan in the spring as an early enrollee.

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He twice has been named All-Big Ten as a member of the Rutgers defense. Prior to the 2023 season, Lewis was named to the Bednarik Award watch-list for the nation’s top defensive player.

Georgia football among schools to contact Michigan transfer safety

Georgia football is recruiting talented transfer safety Keon Sabb, who recently entered the portal

Michigan Wolverines safety Keon Sabb entered the NCAA transfer portal after Jim Harbaugh accepted the head coaching job with the Los Angeles Chargers. Sabb, a former four-star recruit, is one of the top players available in the transfer portal.

Sabb will have three seasons of eligibility remaining. He just won a national championship with Michigan and would project as a starter at pretty much any Power Five program.

Last season, Sabb recorded 28 total tackles and two interceptions. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound defensive back recorded six tackles and two pass deflections in the national championship against Washington.

The Georgia Bulldogs have reportedly contacted Sabb as have Alabama, Syracuse, Oregon, Auburn and other top college football programs. Head coach Kirby Smart and Georgia missed on elite Alabama transfer safety Caleb Downs, so the Bulldogs could still be looking to add another talented safety via the portal.

Georgia’s safety room for the fall is looking pretty stout. Georgia returns Malaki Starks, who should be a preseason All-American. The Bulldogs added five-star recruit K.J. Bolden. Dan Jackson, Joenel Aguero, Alabama transfer Jake Pope, JaCorey Thomas and David Daniel-Sisavanh highlight other key members of Georgia’s safety group. The big question at safety this spring is who will start opposite Starks?

Report: Ducks are pursuing former Michigan DB Keon Sabb in transfer portal

The Oregon Ducks are reportedly pursuing former Michigan Wolverines transfer Keon Sabb in the portal.

The Oregon Ducks have been incredibly active in the transfer portal this year, and after adding the likes of Jabbar Muhammad, Kobe Savage, Kam Alexander, and Brandon Johnson, they appear to be set when it comes to talent in the secondary going into the 2024 season.

That doesn’t mean that they don’t want to continue to improve, though.

A relatively surprising name entered the portal earlier this week when Michigan Wolverines safety Keon Sabb announced that he was looking to transfer. Now it’s being reported by On3’s Hayes Fawcett that the Ducks are one of many teams who have reached out to Sabb since he became available.

Sabb was a major part of the Wolverine’s championship team this year, with 28 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 1 touchdown on the year. In the national championship game against the Washington Huskies, Sabb had 6 tackles and 2 PBU’s.

According to 247Sports, Sabb is rated as the 54th-best player in the transfer portal this year, and the fourth-best safety. That stacks up well when you compare it to the safeties that Oregon has already added: Savage (No. 13 S in 2024 portal), and Brandon Johnson (No. 28 S in 2024 portal).

We will see if the Ducks are able to add Sabb, who would be a cherry on top of the already impressive transfer portal haul that Oregon’s been able to bring in this offseason.

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Sooners offer Amari and Xavier Sabb, brothers of Michigan transfer Keon Sabb

The Oklahoma Sooners offer Amari and Xavier Sabb, brothers of Michigan transfer Keon Sabb.

The Oklahoma Sooners made a couple of offers today to a family that they’re very familiar with. The Sooners offered Amari Sabb, an athlete in the 2026 recruiting class. His younger brother Xavier Sabb also received an offer and is a wide receiver in the 2027 class.

Neither Amari or Xavier have evaluations yet, but each player has a number of Power Four offers that include Michigan, Alabama, Georgia, Oregon and other top programs from around the country.

Amari is a dynamic playmaker with elite change of direction ability, often making defenders miss in the open field from both the wide receiver and running back position. He shows good ball skills and tracks the ball well in the air.

Watch Amari Sabb’s sophomore highlights

Via Hudl

Xavier Sabb is an incredibly dynamic player with the ball in his hands. As a kick and punt returner, he displays fantastic ability to change direction, make defenders miss in the open field, and run away from the opposition. Xavier displays great hands and the ability to make plays after the catch, using his size and physicality to break tackles in addition to his elite change of direction. As a freshman, he stands 6-feet tall and already weighs 180 pounds.

Watch Xavier Sabb’s sophomore highlights

Via Hudl

Both Amari and Xavier will be impact players at the collegiate level. And as the Oklahoma Sooners get the ball rolling on their 2026 and 2027 either player would be fantastic additions on the offensive side of the ball.

Brent Venables’ familiarity with the Sabb family dates back to the 2022 recruiting cycle when Keon Sabb committed to the Clemson Tigers in July of 2021.

According to 247Sports, Venables and Mickey Conn were his primary recruiters at the time. On December 5, [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] was announced as the next head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners. A day later, Keon decommitted from Clemson, ultimately landing with the Michigan Wolverines.

Keon entered the transfer portal on Friday after playing two seasons for the Wolverines at safety. He played 360 snaps this season, including 61 in Michigan’s national championship win over the Washington Huskies. He made five tackles, including two stops, according to Pro Football Focus. Sabb was targeted seven times, allowing three receptions for 28 yards. He earned the second highest grade from Pro Football Focus in the national championship game.

While Oklahoma’s safety room is deep, Brent Venables and his staff won’t shy away from adding more competitive depth.

None of this means the Sooners will add any of the Sabb brothers, but it’s clear there’s interest from Brent Venables and his staff to add Keon, Amari, and Xavier Sabb.

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Michigan football loses big time contributor to transfer portal

This one is a bummer. #GoBlue

While the maize and blue managed to hold onto most of their personnel following Jim Harbaugh’s departure, eventually, in the new age of college football, there were bound to be losses. And on Friday morning, Michigan football lost a significant player who was expected to play a big role in 2024 and to be one who you could plan a future around.

Once a five-star and once a Clemson commit, Keon Sabb flipped to the Wolverines just before signing day in December 2021. He didn’t see the field a ton in year one, but in his sophomore campaign, he started four games, and had maybe his best game in college in the national championship game against Washington. Sabb, however, has entered the NCAA transfer portal.

Michigan still has not lost any expected full-time starters for the upcoming season to the transfer portal, though Sabb could have earned one either as nickel or displacing one of the other returning starters.

With Jim Harbaugh’s departure, players have until February 23 to enter the portal under the current 30-day window.

Sherrone Moore has struggled to finalize his staff, not of his own doing, as much as Harbaugh has slowly plundered the staff while some intended hires, such as Stephen Adegoke — who would have been Saab’s position coach — agreeing to come to Ann Arbor before ultimately being lured to remain in the NFL.