The legendary head coach, Nick Saban, left Alabama in January 2024. Up to 28 players left the team when Kalen DeBoer arrived from Washington as the new Bama head coach. Major players such as Caleb Downs (safety), Kadyn Proctor (offensive tackle), and Isaiah Bond (wide receiver) were among those who departed. Among the 28 players who departed, as many as 7 were the starters, and NIL demands also took away some of the players from the program in recruiting. However, the situation appears to be improving now.

The NIL and transfer portal have reigned in extreme havoc since their inception in 2021. The opponents of the changes came with their arguments against them, and then the supporters claimed the players’ benefit. The situation is in chaos, with coaches becoming increasingly wary. Coaches like Matt Rhule and Steve Sarkisian even canceled the spring games, and many other coaches started voicing concerns that their players were being poached. Players started leaving in masses, so much so that we saw as much as half the number of the whole roster leaving. Alabama also felt the changes quite hard.

In this spring transfer window, over 700 players have already decided to enter the transfer portal across college football. The departures have seen a 25–30% increase since previous years, with players like Nico Iamaleava opting to switch camps. But this year, the Alabama Crimson Tide, with Kalen DeBoer at the helm, has finally done a nearly impossible feat and has set an example for other FBS coaches.

The Tides haven’t seen a single scholarship player entering the portal this spring. Moreover, with just hours until the window ends, it is expected that no player will do so in that period either.

Ryan C Fowler reported on X. “Keep in mind that schools still have a few hours to process any players who may have decided late last night… My sources tell me that Alabama will not have any scholarship players entering the portal. This is an incredible job by Kalen DeBoer, Courtney Morgan, and the entire Alabama Crimson Tide coaching staff. It says a lot about the current team chemistry and the expectations for this team...”

The feat is quite huge in context with other football programs, which have seen heavy departures. Colorado has already seen 16 entries in the transfer portal, Illinois has seen 10 entries in the portal, whereas Indiana has also seen nine players opting to switch camps. The retained roster will surely help Alabama this year to perform unexpectedly and improve on last year’s 9-4 record. They have Ty Simpson, Austin Mack, and Keelon Russell in the QB battle, and these players opting to stay despite the competition shows the level of relationships DeBoer has built with his players.

Ty Simpson wins the QB battle for Alabama?

The QB battle at Alabama is now at its zenith. The three players challenging for the spot have their strengths and weaknesses, but they are all talented enough to make the cut. True freshman Keelon Russel brings immense athleticism and arm talent, whereas Ty Simpson has emerged as a leader in the locker room and is also on the team’s leadership council. Austin Mack, on the other hand, had an incredible spring and looks eager to make the cut. But recently, the Bama head coach has clarified his stance.

“I think the trending upward is a big piece of that. Ty’s an accurate thrower. There’s always going to be balls that every guy wants, but I think the ability to learn from your mistakes, learn from other people’s mistakes—you know, being able to comprehend things, not being overwhelmed—I think that. He’s just had more time. But they’re all doing a lot of really good things together as a group.”

Kalen DeBoer’s statement is certainly an acknowledgment of Ty Simpson’s growth. But even then, the head coach wants the battle to probably go in the fall camp. Simpson, a redshirt sophomore, has played in 15 games for the Tides and completed 14 of the 25 passes he attempted. In addition to his 167 passing yards, he has also gained 44 rushing yards and scored a touchdown. The experience is certainly lacking in all three quarterbacks, but if anyone is expected to do the job, it will probably be Ty Simpson.