Link: 2026 Transfer Portal

[JDCrimson]

I'd agree with you except this is clearly a lack of quantity or quality.

For instance, Kentucky is listed as 17 portal additions and Alabama is listed as 5 via 247. Now this doesn't include unranked/walk-on players. For Alabama that's a punter, longer snapper, and tight end.

But that's the whole class! This isn't a stars ranking situation, it's just a... there's nothing there situation. They are tied for the smallest portal class in the SEC as well!


I've actually said it a few times. But first let's considering the GM's role. He's being paid a million dollars JUST to manage the roster. A lot of teams don't even have that role, so he basically should spend a ton of his team evaluating talent. There should be a big board with hundreds, even thousands of names, people he's evaluated, needs to evaluate, what their evaluations are, who needs additional looks, etc..

And a big part of that should be the sleeper list. That's the list of cheap guys that Alabama can get basically at no cost to the NIL budget. They are freebies, or close to freebies. You find them, your offer basically instantly outbids any interested party. There are thousands of players in the portal, you want to find the ones that were overlooked.

Those are the very first guys you sign once the portal opens! Alabama has 30 slots available! They don't have to fill them all, but if it's not a numbers issue and it's not an NIL issue, why not round up a half dozen of these guys the instant the portal opens? They'll be excited a major program is offering them, and you'll be landing your sleeper picks from the start. The lack of total signings is the red flag to me, it means they're not doing much of these deep dives. In fact of the 3 sleeper type picks in place right now, two play football in the state and a third had an old social media post saying he wanted to play for Alabama. So I'm not even sure if they contacted Alabama or Alabama contacted them.

Then there's the big money stuff. That will be hard, but basically if your evaluation is better than the other guys, you won't be getting in as many fights over the top recruiting ranking service players. You also sidestep programs like Texas, you only bid to bid them up, but you don't roll out the red carpet and all that on bidding wars with Texas! No one they are bidding for will come cheap! So what do you do? You beat out South Carolina, you beat out those sort of programs, instead Alabama lost to programs like South Carolina as well while being distracted by Texas!

Where is Jonah Hill when you need him?

Sounds like we dont have enough scouting analysts. There are literally 20,000 prospects that need to be evaluated every year.

 

[CoolBreeze]

I'd agree with you except this is clearly a lack of quantity or quality.

For instance, Kentucky is listed as 17 portal additions and Alabama is listed as 5 via 247. Now this doesn't include unranked/walk-on players. For Alabama that's a punter, longer snapper, and tight end.

But that's the whole class! This isn't a stars ranking situation, it's just a... there's nothing there situation. They are tied for the smallest portal class in the SEC as well!

I certainly agree, but we are not finished. To solidify your point, we have not done a good job the past couple of cycles in the portal with this regime. Just hope they turn the curve soon.

 

[bamamc1]

I'm sure our staff is just evaluating and have a plan.

Its not possible for this staff to be out worked.

Sunshine, rainbows, and lollipops.

Courtney Morgan hasn’t coached ball at any level whatsoever. Other than the fact he played, what’s his knowledge other than “we can pay you X?” Seems to be the back we thought we had wasn’t told the truth by whomever he was negotiating with. Things like this don’t help the overall impression of the program.

Morgan was a part of that sleazy Harbaugh staff that included the aforementioned Head Coach, Sherrone Moore, and Connor Stallions. He was the bag man for Michigan. Think about that for a minute.

 

[Cruloc]

I'm really less worried about Smothers, especially since we have Crowell coming in. No experience, but the kid is a playmaker.

I'm extremely worried about the OL and then secondarily, the DL.

We've got some movement on the OL news it seems.....hopefully we can land a few difference makers.

We do need some WR depth as well.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

I'd agree with you except this is clearly a lack of quantity or quality.

For instance, Kentucky is listed as 17 portal additions and Alabama is listed as 5 via 247. Now this doesn't include unranked/walk-on players. For Alabama that's a punter, longer snapper, and tight end.

But that's the whole class! This isn't a stars ranking situation, it's just a... there's nothing there situation. They are tied for the smallest portal class in the SEC as well!


I've actually said it a few times. But first let's considering the GM's role. He's being paid a million dollars JUST to manage the roster. A lot of teams don't even have that role, so he basically should spend a ton of his team evaluating talent. There should be a big board with hundreds, even thousands of names, people he's evaluated, needs to evaluate, what their evaluations are, who needs additional looks, etc..

And a big part of that should be the sleeper list. That's the list of cheap guys that Alabama can get basically at no cost to the NIL budget. They are freebies, or close to freebies. You find them, your offer basically instantly outbids any interested party. There are thousands of players in the portal, you want to find the ones that were overlooked.

Those are the very first guys you sign once the portal opens! Alabama has 30 slots available! They don't have to fill them all, but if it's not a numbers issue and it's not an NIL issue, why not round up a half dozen of these guys the instant the portal opens? They'll be excited a major program is offering them, and you'll be landing your sleeper picks from the start. The lack of total signings is the red flag to me, it means they're not doing much of these deep dives. In fact of the 3 sleeper type picks in place right now, two play football in the state and a third had an old social media post saying he wanted to play for Alabama. So I'm not even sure if they contacted Alabama or Alabama contacted them.

Then there's the big money stuff. That will be hard, but basically if your evaluation is better than the other guys, you won't be getting in as many fights over the top recruiting ranking service players. You also sidestep programs like Texas, you only bid to bid them up, but you don't roll out the red carpet and all that on bidding wars with Texas! No one they are bidding for will come cheap! So what do you do? You beat out South Carolina, you beat out those sort of programs, instead Alabama lost to programs like South Carolina as well while being distracted by Texas!

So many points to address here. To start with, it's not CM's job to evaluate. He is basically a business manager.

The coaches basically say that this the kid we want, then takes over. Sort of like a Sales Manager at a car dealership. The salesman hands the prospective buyer over to him to close the deal.

As far as the "sleeper", is that basically what you call a diamond in the rough?

How can you instantly find 30 of those?

Even if you did, are you supposing that nobody else finds them and offers? Offering them isn't a guarantee that you sign them. I could go on and on, but hopefully you get what I am getting at.

Back to my question, if you were CM, what would you do differently ?

 

[Cruloc]

I certainly agree, but we are not finished. To solidify your point, we have not done a good job the past couple of cycles in the portal with this regime. Just hope they turn the curve soon.

I'm wondering now, with the lack of success in the portal, if DeBoer and company didn't realize how absolute cutthroat this business was going to be at Bama.

Yeah he coached at a power 4 school.....but other programs aren't trying to eviscerate Washington. Bama, on the other hand, has everyone's attention. Rivals will do whatever it takes to destroy you here.

 

[KrAzY3]

Where is Jonah Hill when you need him?

Sounds like we dont have enough scouting analysts. There are literally 20,000 prospects that need to be evaluated every year.

This is really the part where I'm dumbfounded.

I've followed the economics of the sport for about as long as I've been here. Alabama is a top 10 program in terms of donors, but not a top 5. They can't hang with Texas. However, they are a top 5 program in terms of revenue! This means the University of Alabama can match resources with just about anyone! They can offer more scholarships, they have better facilities, they can max out their NIL allotment, etc...

Just look where they are on the list: https://sportsdata.usatoday.com/ncaa/finances
They are third, they literally make in twice as much money as some other programs that are having better portal classes. Yet, I'm supposed to believe it's a money issue? Then the University built a 47 million dollar golf practice facility? If they're not using close to 105 scholarship's it's malfeasance, not a money issue.

So, sure they can't outbid billionaires. They can however, offer more than almost every other program out there. If they're not committing the funds, if they're not offering the scholarships, if they're not doing the deep dives on guys to offer those scholarships to? Well that's on them. It was so bad I've repeatedly looked it up to confirm they can indeed offer 105 scholarships this year.

They just need to find the players to use them on...

So many points to address here. To start with, it's not CM's job to evaluate. He is basically a business manager.
.....

As far as the "sleeper", is that basically what you call a diamond in the rough?

How can you instantly find 30 of those?

If the GM isn't doing the job of a GM then that's poor use of the money. I actually worked for the same organization that Dave Stewart worked for (when he was in the Padres organization) and been around him when he was working. I've sat near the Tigers GM when he was working. You know what they were doing? They were evaluating players. So if he's a GM that doesn't do GM stuff then may be find one that does.

That aside, as to the other part...
You don't instantly find 30, that's my point. You spend the whole year finding those 30. That's what you're being paid for, to work. Not wake up when the portal opens and go oh time to get to work, no you do it all day every day, all year. That's why you're paid so much.

 

[bamamc1]

I'm really less worried about Smothers, especially since we have Crowell coming in. No experience, but the kid is a playmaker.

I'm extremely worried about the OL and then secondarily, the DL.

We've got some movement on the OL news it seems.....hopefully we can land a few difference makers.

We do need some WR depth as well.

What’s the odds of Crowell still being on the roster a year from now?

 

[JDCrimson]

I wonder if we are so cash strapped that we are having to go lean a couple of years to build up the NIL chest to then spend up to make a run?

It would make sense to HS recruit really well, develop them well, and invest NIL in them as they mature. However, when Texas, OSU, etc can come in and rob the cupboard this plan is hard to implement.

If I remember correctly, the Supreme Court basically said you could not limit a player's NIL opportunities. They didnt make a ruling about transfers, eligibility, academics, etc. The NCAA has literally done this themselves with this free for all transfer portal. Again, the NCAA could restrict the academic requirements if they chose to. There are tools the NCAA could use to reign this in but dont do it.

In many instances the kids are too young to bind to a contract, but the NCAA could enforce academic requirements on the players.

 

[mlh]

So Indiana has a commitment from a TE at Miami. How does that work with the teams squaring off for the NC in a week?

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

I got bad news for you, it still looks like that. The dodgers bought themselves a World Series

Not an MLB fan, so really couldn't care less, but I think you knew what I meant.

 

[bamamc1]

This is really the part where I'm dumbfounded.

I've followed the economics of the sport for about as long as I've been here. Alabama is a top 10 program in terms of donors, but not a top 5. They can't hang with Texas. However, they are a top 5 program in terms of revenue! This means the University of Alabama can match resources with just about anyone! They can offer more scholarships, they have better facilities, they can max out their NIL allotment, etc...

Just look where they are on the list: https://sportsdata.usatoday.com/ncaa/finances
They are third, they literally make in twice as much money as some other programs that are having better portal classes. Yet, I'm supposed to believe it's a money issue? Then the University built a 47 million dollar golf practice facility? If they're not using close to 105 scholarship's it's malfeasance, not a money issue.

So, sure they can't outbid billionaires. They can however, offer more than almost every other program out there. If they're not committing the funds, if they're not offering the scholarships, if they're not doing the deep dives on guys to offer those scholarships to? Well that's on them. It was so bad I've repeatedly looked it up to confirm they can indeed offer 105 scholarships this year.

They just need to find the players to use them on...

If the GM isn't doing the job of a GM then that's poor use of the money. I actually worked for the same organization that Dave Stewart worked for (when he was in the Padres organization) and been around him when he was working. I've sat near the Tigers GM when he was working. You know what they were doing? They were evaluating players. So if he's a GM that doesn't do GM stuff then may be find one that does.

That aside, as to the other part...
You don't instantly find 30, that's my point. You spend the whole year finding those 30. That's what you're being paid for, to work. Not wake up when the portal opens and go oh time to get to work, no you do it all day every day, all year. That's why you're paid so much.

We’re paying $1,000,000 for a guy to ask basically “what’s it going to take.? Player X amount. Ok, we’ll get back with you. I’ll save Bama $750,000 a year and take that job. Holy cow.

 

[bamamc1]

I wonder if we are so cash strapped that we are having to go lean a couple of years to build up the NIL chest to then spend up to make a run?

It would make sense to HS recruit really well, develop them well, and invest NIL in them as they mature. However, when Texas, OSU, etc can come in and rob the cupboard this plan is hard to implement.

If I remember correctly, the Supreme Court basically said you could not limit a player's NIL opportunities. They didnt make a ruling about transfers, eligibility, academics, etc. The NCAA has literally done this themselves with this free for all transfer portal. Again, the NCAA could restrict the academic requirements if they chose to. There are tools the NCAA could use to reign this in but dont do it.

In many instances the kids are too young to bind to a contract, but the NCAA could enforce academic requirements on the players.

Supposedly, there is a clearinghouse in place to look at these NIL deals and see if they’re legit. Not sure that’s being done very thoroughly at this time.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

So if you were CKD or GM CM, what would you do?

Being a critic is the easiest job in the world, so I am anxious to hear your plan...

I think a good starting point is looking at last season and this season and properly identifying WHY the offensive line got worse and not better. Why wasn't there player development by ANY of the OL'men frim last year to this year? Thats a question that apparently they didnt get right last offseason either. In the same vein, I'd be hell bent on finding out whats causing the second half season nose dive thats happened two straight years. Why are we getting blownout multiple times a year for two straight years?

I can skip to the answer and it has nothing to do with players. We have a coaching/player development problem in the organization until we get fixed, is going to keep producing these same similar results every rear. When other teams do more with less talent it more times than not means you have a coaching staff problem. I really dont think it matters who we bring in via the portal if we are incapable of getting them better once theyre here. We pay assistant coaches and coordinators literally millions of dollars to do more than just call plays during games and try to convince players to come here. They get paid to make players better once hey get here and that seems to be the biggest problem we have.

 

[Bazza]

Where is Jonah Hill when you need him?

Sounds like we dont have enough scouting analysts. There are literally 20,000 prospects that need to be evaluated every year.

One of my all time fav sports movies.......

 

[bamamc1]

I wonder if we are so cash strapped that we are having to go lean a couple of years to build up the NIL chest to then spend up to make a run?

It would make sense to HS recruit really well, develop them well, and invest NIL in them as they mature. However, when Texas, OSU, etc can come in and rob the cupboard this plan is hard to implement.

If I remember correctly, the Supreme Court basically said you could not limit a player's NIL opportunities. They didnt make a ruling about transfers, eligibility, academics, etc. The NCAA has literally done this themselves with this free for all transfer portal. Again, the NCAA could restrict the academic requirements if they chose to. There are tools the NCAA could use to reign this in but dont do it.

In many instances the kids are too young to bind to a contract, but the NCAA could enforce academic requirements on the players.

There’s lots of kids under 21 that sign binding contracts each June once the draft process concludes. Obviously, it should be the same across pretty much anything.

 

[bamamc1]

One of my all time fav sports movies.......

I wish Logan Young and the Tennessee Stud had lived to see all of this

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

This is really the part where I'm dumbfounded.

I've followed the economics of the sport for about as long as I've been here. Alabama is a top 10 program in terms of donors, but not a top 5. They can't hang with Texas. However, they are a top 5 program in terms of revenue! This means the University of Alabama can match resources with just about anyone! They can offer more scholarships, they have better facilities, they can max out their NIL allotment, etc...

Just look where they are on the list: https://sportsdata.usatoday.com/ncaa/finances
They are third, they literally make in twice as much money as some other programs that are having better portal classes. Yet, I'm supposed to believe it's a money issue? Then the University built a 47 million dollar golf practice facility? If they're not using close to 105 scholarship's it's malfeasance, not a money issue.

So, sure they can't outbid billionaires. They can however, offer more than almost every other program out there. If they're not committing the funds, if they're not offering the scholarships, if they're not doing the deep dives on guys to offer those scholarships to? Well that's on them. It was so bad I've repeatedly looked it up to confirm they can indeed offer 105 scholarships this year.

They just need to find the players to use them on...

If the GM isn't doing the job of a GM then that's poor use of the money. I actually worked for the same organization that Dave Stewart worked for (when he was in the Padres organization) and been around him when he was working. I've sat near the Tigers GM when he was working. You know what they were doing? They were evaluating players. So if he's a GM that doesn't do GM stuff then may be find one that does.

That aside, as to the other part...
You don't instantly find 30, that's my point. You spend the whole year finding those 30. That's what you're being paid for, to work. Not wake up when the portal opens and go oh time to get to work, no you do it all day every day, all year. That's why you're paid so much.

Again, it's not CM's job to evaluate.

Evaluating 20,000 kids takes a far bigger staff than anyone has, so instead you look at who other staffs have offered to save time. I am not saying that I agree with this method as it is quite lazy, but it is effective to a point.

I believe we are all disenchanted with the way this whole nil/unlimited transfer thing has ruined CFP. Everyone is trying to figure this system out and game. Some are further along and/or have far better funding to do so. Is it fair? Absolutely not!

Parents/handlers are steering kids based on their own particularly greed and for the most part really couldn't care less what happens to the kid's future...sadly.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

What’s the odds of Crowell still being on the roster a year from now?

If he is everything that we expect, fifty-fifty...

 

[CoolBreeze]

I'm wondering now, with the lack of success in the portal, if DeBoer and company didn't realize how absolute cutthroat this business was going to be at Bama.

Yeah he coached at a power 4 school.....but other programs aren't trying to eviscerate Washington. Bama, on the other hand, has everyone's attention. Rivals will do whatever it takes to destroy you here.

Maybe, but we really just need this guy to get good players and get them playing as a team. That also means hiring the right staff which he also needs to adjust to. I am optimistic we can get some guys in the portal that can help us and that Coach will adjust the staff. Just don't know if he can adjust his philosophy to be a hard nosed, punishing football team. That is what I want to see in 2026.