Alabama has spent decades watching other programs try to copy its blueprint.
That’s why it lands differently when two defensive starters leave Tuscaloosa for Ohio State in the same week.
James Smith and Qua Russaw, both members of Alabama’s 2023 recruiting class, committed to the Buckeyes out of the transfer portal.
The moves were first reported by On3 and confirmed in the Sports Illustrated report that quickly made its way through SEC group chats.
This wasn’t a case of buried depth players looking for snaps. Smith started 12 games last season and played in all 15, finishing with 28 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
Russaw appeared in nine games despite a broken foot and totaled 14 tackles with a sack.
Alabama coaches trusted both enough to put them on the field early and often.
For years, Alabama fans treated the transfer portal like a one-way street. Players left, sure, but usually for smaller stages or clearer paths to playing time. Losing starters to another national brand hits a little closer to home.
It also comes at a delicate moment. Alabama is still hearing about its College Football Playoff loss to Indiana, a result that ended the season with more questions than closure.
Coach Kalen DeBoer hasn’t been on the job long, but the honeymoon period doesn’t last forever in Tuscaloosa. When proven contributors leave, fans notice.
And when they leave for Ohio State, fans talk.
Ohio State adds, Alabama subtracts
Ohio State didn’t hide its excitement. The Buckeyes landed two former SEC starters with college football playoff experience and years of eligibility left.
Smith’s production stood out most. Starting nearly every game on Alabama’s defensive front as a sophomore isn’t easy, and his numbers reflected steady growth rather than flash.
Russaw’s season was interrupted by injury, but his role when healthy suggested Alabama viewed him as part of its future rotation.
Instead, that future now belongs to Columbus.
From Alabama’s side, the official explanation is simple: roster churn is normal, and competition remains fierce.
The program still recruits at an elite level and expects replacements to step up.
That’s all true. It’s also true that Alabama rarely loses multiple defensive starters to another playoff-level program in the same portal window.
The transfer portal has leveled parts of the sport, but brand-to-brand movement still carries weight. This wasn’t Alabama raiding someone else’s depth chart. This was Ohio State doing the raiding.
Around the SEC, rival fans noticed quickly. Some shrugged. Others smiled. All of them understood the subtext.
DeBoer era draws early scrutiny
DeBoer inherited one of the sport’s most demanding jobs. Every season is judged against Alabama’s own history, not against national averages.
The playoff loss to Indiana already sparked debate about where the program stands in the new era. Losing Smith and Russaw added fuel, even if neither move alone defines the direction of the program.
Alabama fans aren’t panicking, but they are paying attention. There’s a difference.
DeBoer’s supporters point to recruiting classes, culture shifts and time. Critics point to results, optics and momentum. When starters leave, the critics get louder.
Smith and Russaw both arrived in Tuscaloosa with high expectations. They played early, contributed and developed. Alabama invested snaps and trust in them. Watching that investment pay off somewhere else is uncomfortable.
No one inside the program is calling this a crisis. Outside the program, it’s being labeled something else: interesting.
SEC watches the ripple effect
From an SEC perspective, the story isn’t just about two players. It’s about perception.
Alabama has long been the program others chase. Transfers usually flowed toward Tuscaloosa, not away from it to a fellow superpower. When that balance shifts, even slightly, it becomes conversation material.
Ohio State strengthens its defense. Alabama reshuffles. The rest of the conference watches to see how quickly the Tide stabilizes.
There’s still time before the season, and Alabama still has depth. But depth isn’t the same as proven starters, and replacing experience isn’t automatic.
The SEC has seen dynasties wobble before without collapsing. The question now is whether this is just noise or an early signal.
For Alabama fans, the answers won’t come from press conferences. They’ll come in the fall.
Until then, the portal moves serve as a reminder: even in Tuscaloosa, nothing is immune from scrutiny anymore.
Key takeaways
- Alabama lost two defensive starters, James Smith and Qua Russaw, to Ohio State through the transfer portal.
- Both players were contributors last season, not reserves, which adds weight to their departures.
- The moves add to early questions around Alabama after a CFP loss and the start of the Kalen DeBoer era.
