Control is out of Kalen DeBoer and Alabama football's hands.
After a spring practice period of development and training, another NCAA transfer portal window is open, one that could spark movement from Crimson Tide players after the program saw its share of roster change in the weeks and months before spring ball began.
All DeBoer can point to as the portal opens is what he and his staff have tried to do: create a culture of chemistry, an aura of development and a track record of growth no matter where a player is at on Alabama's depth chart .
The foundation remains for DeBoer: coach the players on his roster, add to their value, and let the cards fall where they may. Days before the spring transfer portal window opened, that's the message DeBoer indirectly gave this his roster, a group, he said is "more comfortable with who we are, what we want to be."
"I'm proud of our guys, DeBoer said. "The guys that you want around you, whether it's coaches or players, they have a good head on their shoulders. They can have perspective on what they really, truly have here at Alabama . And it's special, whether it's the resources that they have and the people that they have around them, in the training room, in the weight room. The coaching staff, I think, is elite as well. And so these guys are getting an experience that they should not take for granted. We can talk about the stories of guys who have come in and said how great it is here, or guys that have left and, you know, maybe even wishing they could come back. Be careful what you ask for. The grass is definitely not greener on the other side."
Instead of saying what position groups Alabama could add to this transfer portal period, DeBoer focused on what kind of player he wants.
And the Crimson Tide have a high standard when it comes to the right fit, especially with "just a couple scholarships, really, available to us."
"We'll be careful, and they've gotta meet all those areas that we feel good about: the culture of our team, the chemistry from within, the work that's being put in," DeBoer said.
On Alabama's current roster, the most glaring seems to be on the offensive line, especially at offensive tackle.
While DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb praised the versatility of Olaus Alinen , and the development of Ball State transfer Arkel Anugwom , Alabama does not have much proven depth between starters Wilkin Formby and Kadyn Proctor , and its 2025 recruiting class of Jackson Lloyd , Micah DeBose and Michael Carroll , the five-star guard who has repped at left tackle in Proctor's absence this spring.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Kalen DeBoer strong Alabama football message before transfer portal opens
