How Nick Saban Views Spring Transfer Portal Window

College football players have a two-week window from April 15 to April 30 to enter the transfer portal with three Crimson Tide players already joining since it opened.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The transfer portal plays a major role in college football roster management now. But Alabama head coach Nick Saban made it clear how he feels about the matter.

"We don't want anybody to get in the portal," Saban said Thursday night. "We'd love to keep everybody on our team, on our team. I think sometimes my experience with this is a little bit like free agency in the NFL. But NFL players kind of know they’re expendable. I think some college players sometimes think the portal is a one way street, but it’s really not because we have the opportunity to bring guys in and replace them too if we choose to do that."

College football players have a two-week window in the spring from April 15 to April 30 to enter the transfer portal and find new homes before fall camp starts. Since the window opened last Saturday, three Crimson Tide players have entered: tight end Elijah Brown and defensive backs Tre'Quon Fegans and Jahquez Robinson. 

Alabama's roster currently stands at 86 scholarship players after the three portal entrants, one above the limit of 85 it will need to cut it down to by the time the season starts in the fall. So, at least one more player will either have to enter the portal or move on from the program. If multiple players enter, Saban and the staff will be in the portal looking for players of their own. 

Saban is in favor of keeping players in the program that already know the system, but has had success in recent years with getting players from the portal like Jameson Williams from Ohio State, Henry To'oTo'o from Tennessee and Jahmyr Gibbs from Georgia Tech. 

"We'd rather make it work with the guys that understand the culture and our program, but that’s just another resource that you look at players and see if there's any way that you can help your team and strengthen your roster," he said. 

This past offseason, Alabama brought in Malik Benson, CJ Dippre and Trezmen Marshall from the portal and also has Jermaine Burton from Georgia from last season. 

With over a week to go, there will certainly be more action around the transfer portal as spring football winds down. 

2022-23 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Transfer Tracker

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