The Alabama Crimson Tide are going through a huge transition. After legendary coach Nick Saban retired, it left a lot of the current players with a big decision. The transfer portal will open up for current Crimson Tide players, and they have 30 days to decide what to do. After Dezz Ricks decided to enter the portal, redshirt freshman Antonio Kite also decided to move to another program.
BREAKING: Alabama CB Antonio Kite plans to enter the Transfer Portal, he tells @on3sports
The 6’1 180 CB was ranked as a Top 120 Recruit in the ‘22 Class
Will have 3 years of eligibility remaining https://t.co/22RHO2z1sN pic.twitter.com/K83LmoUYmO
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 13, 2024
Alabama Loses CB Antonio Kite To The Transfer Portal
Kite was a part of the 2022 recruiting class but redshirted his first year. He did appear in seven games this season but was mostly a special teams player. This isn’t surprising, as the Crimson Tide were very deep at the position and had a couple of first-round talents starting. Kite will have three years of eligibility left. He is only the third player from the program to enter the portal, but we will likely see more in the coming weeks.
Concern For The Program?
Players leaving is never great, but this is also expected. A huge part of recruiting is the coach. Players come to programs to be under certain coaches. When that coach leaves, the desire to stay decreases drastically. In the current college football landscape, plenty of programs can attract top-tier talent. The nature of the portal also makes the decision easier, as the player can transfer again next year. It will be interesting to see who the new head coach Kalen DeBoer brings in, as it seems likely that players will follow the new coach as well.
Can Alabama survive in the SEC in 2024? Fans may want to temper expectations as a new coach can take a season or two to get comfortable.