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Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior Writer
After Alabama narrowly missed the College Football Playoff in coach Kalen DeBoer’s first season, athletics director Greg Byrne told fans in a letter on X on Wednesday that “now is a time for action” and “time for the Bama Nation to fight back.”
“Although we have been competitive from an NIL standpoint, our competition has us in their sights and are actively trying to surge ahead with NIL,” Byrne said in the letter. “You have heard examples of other teams using promises of million-dollar paydays to lure away our players or convince them not to come to Alabama. It is time for the Bama Nation to fight back.”
The Crimson Tide went 9-3 under DeBoer, a former Washington coach, who replaced Nick Saban when he retired on Jan. 10. Alabama fell 40-35 at Vanderbilt on Oct. 5, its first loss to the Commodores in 40 years, and a 24-3 defeat at Oklahoma on Nov. 23 knocked the Tide out of the SEC championship game.
Alabama was No. 11 in the final College Football Playoff selection committee rankings. The Crimson Tide was left out of the 12-team bracket, however, because No. 12 Arizona State and No. 16 Clemson were conference champions and received automatic berths.
“We have been careful during this transitional period to protect our position at the top of college athletics while being mindful to listen, engage and learn from our generous supporters, proud alumni and unrivaled fans to make sure that we protect our great traditions here at Alabama,” Byrne said. “But there’s a time for talk and a time for action. Now is a time for action.”
Alabama signed the No. 4 recruiting class in the FBS, trailing only Oregon and SEC rivals Texas and Georgia, according to ESPN Recruiting. The Tide flipped quarterback Keelon Russell from SMU and safety Ivan Taylor from Michigan.
Alabama has lost 14 scholarship players to the portal so far.
Defensive tackle Jehiem Oatis, the No. 1 defensive player in ESPN’s transfer rankings, left the program in early October and is transferring to Colorado.
The Crimson Tide also lost starting defensive back DeVonta Smith to Notre Dame.
Four wide receivers – Kobe Prentice (Baylor), Kendrick Law, Caleb Odom and Emmanuel Henderson Jr. – have left the program, and backup quarterback Dylan Lonergan is transferring to Boston College. Running back Justice Haynes also entered the portal.
Byrne encouraged Alabama fans to give to “Yea Alabama,” the athletic department’s NIL entity, and noted the school was focused “on providing our fans with a legitimate product rather than booster inducements.”
“At Alabama, we’ve not measured ourselves against our competition,” Byrne said. “We are the standard, and that measurement is against the mirror and against a rich and proud history, but it’s impossible to ignore what is taking place in college athletics. Hungry fan bases are acting decisively to give their respective programs competitive advantages. We must respond. We are Alabama.”
The Crimson Tide play Michigan in the Reliaquest Bowl on Dec. 31 (12 p.m. ET/ESPN, ESPN+).
ESPN’s Max Olson contributed to this report.
