Opt-outs for non-playoff bowl games have become common across college football, especially for players projected to be early NFL Draft picks. However, Alabama has maintained a culture where these opt-outs are limited, even in seasons the Crimson Tide miss the playoffs.
While most programs see multiple players opt out when they’re excluded from the College Football Playoff, Alabama has consistently defied that trend. Under Nick Saban, even in the two seasons the Tide missed the playoffs, the number of opt-outs was minimal, with key draft prospects still playing. And under Kalen DeBoer, it appears that tradition will continue.
In 2019, after Alabama’s loss to Auburn kept them out of the playoff, there was an expectation that many players would opt out, as it was the first time in the playoff era the Tide missed out. However, only a few players with injury concerns, like Trevon Diggs and Terrell Lewis, opted out. First-round picks like Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, and Jedrick Wills, as well as second-rounders Xavier McKinney and Raekwon Davis, all played in the Citrus Bowl, where Alabama defeated Michigan 35-16.
In 2022, when Alabama again missed the playoff, no players opted out of the Sugar Bowl against Kansas State. With top prospects like Bryce Young and Will Anderson Jr. deciding to play, the rest of the team followed suit, and Alabama dominated Kansas State 45-20.
While things have changed with the rise of the Transfer Portal, where players like Caleb Odom, Kendrick Law, and Kobe Prentice have already left the team, Alabama’s NFL-bound players, including Jalen Milroe, Tyler Booker, and Jihaad Campbell, are expected to play in the upcoming ReliaQuest Bowl against Michigan. This commitment highlights Alabama’s enduring culture of loyalty and finish.
This culture was established by Nick Saban, and while all of the current players are his recruits, it remains to be seen if DeBoer can maintain this tradition as the team evolves. The future of Alabama’s success will depend on whether he can sustain this culture, which has been a major factor in the Tide’s dominance over the past 17 years. DeBoer’s ability to do so will be key to determining his long-term future with the program.
