Thousands of players entered the transfer portal during the 10-day spring window, but not a single one was a scholarship player for Alabama football.
In the ever-shifting landscape of college football, the transfer portal has become as much a part of roster management as recruiting high school stars. Programs across the country braced themselves for the 10-day spring transfer window in April 2025, a period during which players could officially enter the portal and seek new opportunities elsewhere. Thousands of players moved during that short span, leading to significant roster turnover at many schools. Yet amid all the chaos, one program stood notably firm: the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Remarkably, not a single scholarship player from Alabama entered the transfer portal during the spring window. In a sport where roster fluidity has become the norm, Alabama’s stability stands out — and it says a lot about the current state of the program under head coach Kalen DeBoer.
When Nick Saban announced his retirement in January 2024, many around the sport predicted a turbulent transition. Saban had built an unmatched dynasty at Alabama, winning six national championships in Tuscaloosa and cementing the program as the standard for excellence. His departure opened the door for doubt: Would Alabama slip back into the pack?
Enter Kalen DeBoer, fresh off a successful stint at Washington, where he led the Huskies to a national championship appearance. DeBoer’s appointment as Saban’s successor brought excitement — but also questions. Would players stay loyal? Would there be a mass exodus to the portal?
Initially, Alabama did lose some talent in the winter window, a natural reaction when any program undergoes a leadership change. Several players opted to move on, seeking systems that better suited their skills or fresh starts elsewhere. But by the time the dust settled heading into spring, the message was clear: Those who remained were all-in on DeBoer’s vision.
The fact that not a single scholarship player left during the spring portal window is proof of that buy-in. Players have embraced DeBoer’s culture, his offense, and the direction of the program.
The Crimson Tide’s portal stability is even more impressive when compared to the rest of college football. High-profile programs across the SEC and beyond faced significant departures. Georgia, for instance, lost multiple contributors, including former starters. Florida, Auburn, and LSU each saw several scholarship players depart as well. Even perennial playoff contenders like Michigan and Ohio State were not immune to portal losses.
The transfer portal is no longer just for disgruntled bench players. Starters, highly-touted recruits, and future NFL prospects are now entering the portal routinely, drawn by the lure of new opportunities, more playing time, NIL money, or a better fit. In that environment, Alabama’s ability to hold on to every scholarship player after spring practice is astonishing.
Roster continuity is invaluable, especially in today’s college football climate. For Alabama, maintaining a complete scholarship roster through the spring gives DeBoer and his staff an incredible advantage heading into the 2025 season.
Players have had a full offseason under the new staff. Spring practice allowed Alabama to install new offensive and defensive schemes without worrying about major departures disrupting chemistry. The competition for starting jobs has remained fierce but contained within the program, fostering a competitive yet cohesive locker room.
In short, Alabama enters summer workouts and fall camp with a roster that is intact, bought-in, and battle-tested from spring ball. That’s a luxury few programs can claim.
Moreover, the Crimson Tide have bolstered their roster with selective portal additions, targeting specific needs rather than engaging in wholesale roster rebuilds. It’s a strategy that mirrors the approach Nick Saban championed in his final years — only now, DeBoer is putting his own spin on it.
Another critical factor in Alabama’s transfer portal success is player leadership. Veterans like quarterback Jalen Milroe, linebacker Deontae Lawson, and offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor (who returned after briefly transferring to Iowa) have emphasized the importance of unity and patience during the coaching transition.
Milroe, in particular, has emerged as a stabilizing force. After seizing the starting quarterback job last season and leading Alabama to an SEC championship, Milroe could have easily tested the waters elsewhere in the wake of a coaching change. Instead, he stayed — and became a vocal advocate for DeBoer’s program.
That leadership trickled down to the younger players, who took cues from veterans choosing to stay the course rather than bolt at the first sign of change. It’s hard to overstate the impact of that kind of internal accountability. Players police the culture as much as the coaching staff, and Alabama’s roster stability reflects a locker room that genuinely believes in itself.
While the players deserve enormous credit, Kalen DeBoer’s handling of the transition must also be applauded. From his first day on campus, DeBoer made relationship-building a priority. He met individually with every player, listened to their concerns, and laid out a clear vision for what Alabama football would look like moving forward.
