Nick Saban only disappointed with one recent transfer departure

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama lost 18 scholarship players to the NCAA transfer portal since the beginning of last season. Wednesday, Nick Saban candidly admitted he only really regrets losing one of them.

“I’m not mentioning any names – but there’s only like one player that I was really like disappointed that the guy didn’t stay here, and I couldn’t understand why he was leaving,” Saban said. “And all the rest of them, they would have contributed if they stayed and had the right attitude, but it’s their choice. And what we have an opportunity to do when guys leave is we have an opportunity to replace them, too.”

It’s hard to guess which player Saban was referencing. Of the 18 scholarship departures, only four of them — offensive lineman Javion Cohen, defensive back Khryee Jackson and receivers JoJo Earle and Traeshon Holden — started a game last season. Alabama also lost a pair of five-star talents in wide receiver Aaron Anderson and offensive lineman Tommy Brockermyer.

“This is not for everybody, OK,” Saban said. “So maybe people that wanna be here, wanna be good, wanna do the best they can, develop value for their future and who they are as a person, what kind of requirements we have for them to succeed academically so they can develop a career on the field and what we’re gonna try to do to develop them on the field.”

Alabama did bolster a bit from the portal as well, adding five players including tight end CJ Dippre (Maryland), linebacker Trez Marshall (Georgia), quarterback Tyler Buchner (Notre Dame), cornerback Trey Amos (Louisiana) and safety Jaylen Key (UAB). According to sources, each of those additions has seen first-team reps at some point this month.