Shortly after the then-top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide lost to Vanderbilt in a stunning upset, sophomore defensive lineman Jaheim Oatis announced he would be redshirting for the remainder of the season and then enter the transfer portal to continue playing elsewhere.
While many believed this was the start of a mass exodus from Tuscaloosa as a result of the team’s loss to the Commodores, Oatis stated that it was because of a lack of playing time.
So what does this mean for head coach Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide program? Well, if we take Oatis’s reasoning at face value, this is an isolated incident relating a player being unhappy with how little he’s seen the field. However, if this becomes a growing trend, where other players announce their intent to enter the portal at the end of the season, it could spell trouble for DeBoer.
Shortly after he was hired, fans were shocked to see DeBoer’s ability to recruit players all across the country and to retain the talented players that were already on the roster, but originally recruited by former head coach Nick Saban and his staff.
Overall, this has been a trend across the nation within the realm of college football. As the transfer portal became more accessible, along with the introduction of name, image, likeness (NIL), players have been free to move from program to program, seeking more playing time and heftier NIL deals from collectives.
In the few years Saban was at the helm of the Crimson Tide program, the transfer portal was viewed more as a tool rather than a threat. However, with a new regime running the show, it is possible that the Crimson Tide could fall victim to the danger that’s associated with the transfer portal and NIL. The last thing Alabama fans and DeBoer want to see is a roster loaded with talent be gutted.
As for now, Oatis is the only one to announce his decision to transfer. Alabama fans will just have to wait and see what the future holds.