Alabama Adds #25 to Class – Where is the Room?
Alabama had 12 scholarship players leave the team (8 to graduation, 3 juniors to the NFL, and 1 transfer prior to signing day) last year; Alabama also signed 23 new players (22 on signing day and now Duron Carter) and had 2 players greyshirt last year that now count towards this class; this puts them at 25 new players this year. On NSD, Nick Saban told the media that they signed what they could, implying they had room for 22 + 2 GS, and that they could add another player later because there were candidates for medical hardships or redshirt guys that have graduated that could be replaced. To date there have been no announcements regarding any departures, but there have been plenty of names floated around as possible candidates.
As we mentioned a month ago, the numbers just don't jive. If you have 12 scholarship players leave but add 25 new scholarship players, the only way you have room for them all is if you finished the previous season with 72 scholarship players. 72 - 12=60, 60 + 25=85.
Does anyone believe that Alabama had only 72 scholarship players last year? If that was the case, then why the 2 greyshirts last year because there wasn't room -- if you are at 72 scholarship players why in the world would you greyshirt 2? The only viable reason would be the 25 limit, but Alabama had a handful of guys last year that enrolled early and counted toward the previous year, so there should have been room. Furthermore, Alabama had a bunch of attrition last year -- we examined their roster prior to signing day and projected the number of guys they needed to lose in order to get to 85 and that was the exact number of guys they lost during the spring and summer -- so if they weren't making roster cuts to get to 85 there should have been room for the two that greyshirted last year.
We are being a little coy here, we know they didn't have 72 guys on scholarship to end the season last year. The reality is that they are over right now, and the medical hardship, transfers and non-renewals should start to emerge soon.
With spring practice in full swing, shouldn't anyone that is injured to the point that they can no longer participate already be on medical hardship? Maybe there are guys that are not participating in practice right now, not sure.
All of these questions could be answered if Alabama didn't withhold their scholarship numbers information from the media, something no school should be doing. Cecil Hurt with the Tuscaloosa News is working on this and has filed Freedom of Information requests in an effort to get scholarship numbers from the University, which is bizarre when you consider Alabama is one of the few programs around the country that runs a web cam on national signing day so that everyone can see the signed letters of intent as they come in; each time one comes in the school posts the name of the player on the fax machine so everyone can see it. Why would you go out of your way to broadcast that information yet withhold scholarship numbers from the media when asked for them?
@TheMarchTo85 I promise we are using every FOI avenue available.
We have asked Cecil Hurt to simply ask Saban if they have room for everyone right now and from this point forward if anyone leaves will it result in Alabama starting the season under the 85 limit. Those are questions that A.) should be asked, and B.) Saban should be able to answer. To his credit, Hurt acknowledged our request and stated that he would follow up with Saban this week and ask questions.
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April 3rd, 2011 - 13:23
Bingo! Wait for the Alabama oversigning and purge trend to begin.
April 3rd, 2011 - 17:09
Speaking of scholarship numbers, Josh, did you locate that link to the list of Ohio State scholarship players that you tweeted Cecil Hurt about?
April 3rd, 2011 - 17:16
Also, do you have a link to a report that Carter signed with Alabama?
April 3rd, 2011 - 18:17
Carter will be at UA, but Josh like many others on the OSU websites are very unhappy. I love when fans turn against a player because he goes elsewhere. Ethical behavior at its best.
Also I know Josh has read the articles in Birmingham since he lives there. UA last month well before spring practice had released names of atleast 3 players out with injuries since the fall. One was a starter and it is believed that all 3 may not return. So now Betterred can get excited about something. I also posted a few months back that UA had atleast 5 that look to transfer including BJ Scott back in December. Long before NSD. Atleast 4 more who graduated and probably will no longer be a part of the team. I know it is not enough to just get an education. So there is 12 for you so one more will have to be removed.
A bunch of peeps on different boards for waiting for Joshua to post this article because Carter a former OSU player came to UA. Every OSU board is upset because of this. What is sad is how so many adults become so negative towards a player when he turns his back, as they like to think, on a school. Sort of pathetic to be honest.
In regards to Carter signing with UA, unless he did it prior to visiting with his family this weekend and prior to announcing on Saturday, he can not sign a NLI after April 1st. So who knows but he will be at UA in June.
April 3rd, 2011 - 18:21
It is wrong how Carter signed/is gonna sign with Alabama because they already have an oversigned roster. I am not an Ohio State fan so I have no reason to be bitter about Alabama getting an Ohio State player. I love how you try and twist it that way but there are alot of people who follow this site who also thing it is wrong. We will start to see the numbers of purged Alabama athletes emerge as the march to 85 begins. I would be willing to be, Alabama hits EXACTLY the magic number of 85. Let the trend begin.
April 3rd, 2011 - 18:36
I never implied you were a OSU fan. I know you follow Neb. I am just reposting info I did before. It is like it is something new but if you ever read a UA site and it seems you do not, which is no biggie every UA fan could have told you several months back which players would not be returning with the exception of medicals. Except K Kelley who was a top 10 WR out of HS but has not played due to injuries the past 2 years.
My remark in regards to you was you seem to be excited now that Joshua might be posting the next Saban’s march to 85. Since it excited you so much I was just giving how it looks to pan out by what means. Do not get so defensive.
In regards to OSU fans who like to think that Saban and UA is so evil, I wonder how they might respond to Chris Carter a former OSU player and HoF WR who picked OSU for his son because he believes he runs ones of the best programs in the country and is one of the best coaches. Why not OSU. Now I know after reading OSU boards that OSU fans did not want him, he was baggage, or they are better off without him. But whatever. He is with UA and UA fans are very excited about it. Sorry the Tide keeps rolling.
April 3rd, 2011 - 18:47
Oh and by the way I also expect UA to hit 85, especially since they have to. But until you, Joshua, or anyone else can provide hard evidence that it was malicious in any means, it will all be just pure specualtion on your part about why and nothing more. Spin it how ever you want but a conspiracy theory is just opinion and nothing more for someone obsessed about a topic.
UA will not exceed 85 come fall. Yes attrition will take place but until you show me where the 13 players that will no longer be on the UA roster come fall state something malicious took place than I could care less. I will be the first to jump onboard when it does happen. That a player did not receive his degree as promised as long as he stayed academically eligible, or was not given the opportunity to compete on the field, not gauranteed playing time not earned. As long it did not involve breaking the rules but yet were forced out I will support the cause.
April 4th, 2011 - 16:55
Yep. Just as bad behavior from white Alabamans has always been outside speculation.
Same old, same old.
As always, outsiders will soon move in and take away white Alabama’s toys, and you will move on to whatever you can get away with next. That’s just how Alabama is and apparently always will be.
April 4th, 2011 - 07:32
As a Buckeye fan it always disappoints me when Buckeye fans turn on former players that run into trouble. These are 20 year old kids and none of them are perfect. The thing is our passion for the school’s athletics means we rely on these 20 year olds for “our” success and when something interrupts that there will always be a faction of fans that react negatively. Ohio State is no different than any other school in this regard.
I was rooting for Duron to make it back to Columbus. That’s where he wanted to end up but it was always going to be a lot tougher to get to Ohio State than any other school. That’s because he had 2 quarters of failing grades at Ohio State and admissions told him he had to get his associates degree before he’d be allowed back in school. The plan was to transfer the classes at Ohio State he actually passed then take enough classes at Coffeyville to get a degree by winter/spring quarter so he could get back on the team this fall. Only when he realized that he wasn’t going to be able to do this did he start to look at other schools (this happened sometime in December). Getting in another school was always a much easier option because he didn’t have the two quarters of failing grades to overcome.
Many Buckeye fans don’t realize this so they are making childish remarks but again … we are just sad he won’t be on our sidelines this fall. Duron has stated many times he is a Buckeye at heart and that’s good enough for me. I wish him great success at Alabama (unless we meet on the field in January) and especially in the classroom. The young man has had a lot of adversity in the past year and I hope he has learned from it.
April 4th, 2011 - 08:11
Duron did not “turn his back” He left tOSU for academic reasons in June of 2010. He was not asked to re-join the team. What is pathetic is a football player at tOSU can’t remain academically eligible given the amount of resources available to them. Carter was just lazy. I for one, am not upset at all. I hope the kid has learned a lesson and has straightened up. Good luck to him.
Duron played as a freshman at Ohio State in 2009 and had 13 catches for 176 yards and a touchdown, but was ruled academically ineligible that season and missed the Rose Bowl. He also sat out spring practice that next year because of academic reasons and left Ohio State in June 2010.
“The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Carter was originally hoping to re-enroll at Ohio State after getting his academic business in order in junior college, but that door was later closed.”
http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/40369/alabama-gets-receiver-help-in-duron-carter
April 12th, 2011 - 07:38
Duron Committed to Alabama, but will not sign a LOI. His father is going to pay for his way.
April 4th, 2011 - 00:57
Good luck asking Saban about scholarship numbers, he doesn’t take kindly to that. He has never answered that question in a straightforward manner, why would he now?
April 4th, 2011 - 05:39
It is amazing, but not surprising that Hurt is having to get an FOIA request to receive this information. Discussing practice of a despotic coach.
April 4th, 2011 - 07:37
I see you’ve bought into the perception that Josh has been selling that Alabama is some kind of oulier for not releasing scholarship numbers or which players are on scholarship. The truth of the matter is that very, very few schools do release that information. Ohio State is one of the few that does according to Josh though I’m still waiting on the link that proves it.
April 4th, 2011 - 16:56
Every other Alabama program asked by the Birmingham News gave the total numbers.
So at least in Alabama, UA is an outlier.
April 4th, 2011 - 07:37
Discussing?
April 5th, 2011 - 16:44
Ok, I have to ask. What indication do you have that Duron Carter plans to come to Alabama on a scholarship, rather than as a walk-on? I certainly haven’t seen any.
April 5th, 2011 - 23:45
Can we please keep talking about Nick Saban?? As a tide fan, I love it. Thank you for all the publicity.
As the poster above pointed to, Alabama has several players, THAT SEE THE FIELD, who’s parents pay their way. This opens several spots that outsiders think are unavailable. I’m not saying we only had 72 scholarships last year but overall Bama was closer to +4 or +5 not +12 on NSD (Nick Saban Day?). At + 4 or 5 the numbers will easily work by the fall. There are position battles that are expected to result in transfers, not forced transfers, but rather transfers for playing time. These are players Alabama would love to keep but can’t because of the PLAYER’s preference. Their intentions were known on signing day and were planned for accordingly.
Thank you for dedicating a website to TIDE ENVY.
April 7th, 2011 - 10:36
Who really gives a dang but you? Bama will do whatever is legal, much to your dismay. Why don’t you worry more about the Felony Four or $camgate or the axis of evil, (Lowder, Dye and McGregor) or up Arkansas way or down Louisiana way or pay for pay HBO-style???? You priorities are out of focus. You worry about one signess when the chit is gonna hit the fan on the plains like a hurricane….
April 8th, 2011 - 12:36
Thanks for the many posters who add “real” information to this hatchet piece. I check this site out every year to see it Josh has finally found a way to get ‘real” information on his own. But, alas, the trend continues. I love the post that gives light to the in depth investigation (doesn’t even read the Alabama papers) to gather the players who were medically unable to participate in the spring drills and the player who is playing on the baseball team and not working with the football team in the spring (notice I didn’t mention names – Josh, you have to actually do the research yourself). Also, I agree with the poster (Assume much?), no one said that Duron Carter was given a scholarship. I saw one post that Tressel had closed the door to tOSU for Carter and that he had to find other avenues, but no where did anyone mention that Alabama gave him a scholarship. As excited as his father was that Duron had a chance to play for Alabama (“It’s Nick Saban, Man!”), I would not be surprised if he was not paying his son’s way. Anyone think that Cris cannot afford the out of state tuition? And a chance to get his son back into a program that can get him to the NFL, well that is gravy if they can instill a sense of what it takes to be a man. Josh, what can I say. Keep up the uninformed reporting, and everyone will continue to dismiss this site as the rantings of a child who was not picked for the team. Actual information would be a great way to start….