Moore explores transfer

TUSCALOOSA | Suspended University of Alabama defensive lineman Brandon Moore has explored options for a transfer, and East Mississippi Community College is one that the third-year sophomore has been in touch with, a source told The Tuscaloosa News.

Moore, who was suspended from the team by UA coach Nick Saban during spring practice, was unavailable for comment as UA players are not made available to media at this time of year.

EMCC coach Buddy Stephens had no comment, but confirmed that Moore has not signed any scholarship papers with the Scooba, Miss., school.

It is unclear whether Moore has asked for a release from his scholarship at Alabama, and may not yet have had the opportunity to do so. On Thursday prior to his Crimson Caravan speaking engagement in Birmingham, Saban indicated the tornado that struck Tuscaloosa and the resulting cancellation of UA classes has prevented him from meeting with Moore about his future with the program.

"We had plans to talk to all these guys when school was out. The fact that school got cancelled has made it a little more difficult," Saban said. "So the plan now is to wait until grades come in to further assess the situation. But he's suspended indefinitely."

Since Saban took over the program in 2007, EMCC has been home to several UA signees who have not met academic eligibility requirements out of high school. Those include two who have since transferred to UA - defensive linemen Quinton Dial and Brandon Lewis - and linebacker Devonta Bolton, who signed with UA out of high school but did not re-sign with UA out of EMCC. Another UA signee, linebacker Shannon Brown, is currently enrolled at EMCC. As well, former UA linebacker Freddie Roach would be Moore's position coach at EMCC if he were to transfer there. Roach left an intern position under Saban, in which he assisted UA's strength and conditioning program, for an assistant coaching job at EMCC earlier this year.

If Moore transfers to a two-year college such as EMCC and maintains his academics, he would eventually have the chance to transfer again to a four-year school, perhaps one in the Southeastern Conference. Four-year schools that recruited Moore out of high school include Florida, Tennessee, Auburn, Clemson, Southern Miss, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and others.

Moore, from Montgomery Carver High, signed with Alabama in 2009 and redshirted during the Crimson Tide's national championship season. As a redshirt freshman last year, he played sparingly, appearing in only four games and making six tackles. Moore was also suspended for the Crimson Tide's season-opening win over San Jose State last year.

A Rivals.com four-star recruit at Carver, Moore was considered among the top two-way linemen in the state as a prep recruit.

Alabama defensive back Robby Green is also under suspension for a violation of team rules, but with only one season of eligibility remaining, a transfer is less of an option for Green.

Reach Chase Goodbread at chase.goodbread@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-722-0196.