Happy Tuesday, everyone. We’ll open with Blake Toppmeyer’s take on the transfer portal.
Saban said last year that Alabama would seek quality over quantity in the transfer market. That proved true. The Crimson Tide added three transfers, all of whom project as all-conference-caliber players: Burton, Ricks and running back Jahmyr Gibbs (from Georgia Tech).
But, Alabama lost more transfers than it gained.
So, the rich didn’t stockpile a wealth of transfer talent as much as middle-class SEC schools, and Saban won’t be wearing a portal king sweatshirt anytime soon.
I don’t know that it’s “supposed to” work any particular way, but logically the mid-tier programs will lose some of their best players to the elite programs and will then backfill with players who weren’t getting playing time at bigger schools.