Star Freshman DB Caleb Downs Becomes the 25th Alabama Player To Enter the Transfer Portal This Offseason and Tide Fans Are NOT Handling the Post-Saban Era Well

The Kalen DeBoer era at Alabama is off to a decidedly rocky start, but no blow has been as big as Freshman All-American Caleb Downs entering the transfer portal — and possibly following Bama cornerbacks coach Travaris Robinson to Georgia. The Tide had already lost several major contributors, received de-commitments from multiple four- and five-star recruits and now possibly the best player out of all of them is headed out the door, too.

Alabama fans are not reacting well.

Uh oh! Waking up from that 17-year fever dream, are we? Welcome back to college football, guys. Just to be clear: was the transfer portal fine when guys like Jahmyr Gibbs and Jameson Williams were coming to Tuscaloosa? Oh ok, just making sure.

I obviously always want Bama, Florida, Georgia et al. to lose whenever possible, but I've never looked forward to an opponent's season more than the Tide in 2024. A roster ravaged by the transfer portal. A coach who has no experience in the SEC. Road games at Wisconsin, Tennessee, LSU and Oklahoma — with Georgia, Missouri and Auburn at home. Let's see how this works out!

That first four-loss regular season is going to produce a reaction unlike anything you've ever seen before. These people have either all forgotten or are too young to even remember what the next few years are going to feel like. I'm always here if anyone needs to talk through it.