Former Alabama QB seemingly regrets his decision to join the Crimson Tide in an open letter to former school
Navigating the waters as a collegiate athlete in the NIL era is no easy task. Sure the opportunities have never been greater, but neither have the chances to make mistakes, both in picking a college out of high school and in the transfer portal. According to former Alabama QB Tyler Buchner, he made that very […]
Navigating the waters as a collegiate athlete in the NIL era is no easy task.
Sure the opportunities have never been greater, but neither have the chances to make mistakes, both in picking a college out of high school and in the transfer portal.
According to former Alabama QB Tyler Buchner, he made that very mistake when he transferred from Notre Dame:
Buchner Missed Notre Dame During Time at Alabama
You see, I had been lured to Alabama by opportunities that glistened like gold in the Southern sun. When I transferred, it was with a heavy heart and a mind clouded by uncertainty. There were whispers in my ear, persuasive voices, and the glittering prospect of opportunity. As a 20-year-old, the ache of leaving behind the Fighting Irish was overshadowed by the pull of the transfer portal and the promise of playing one season for Coach Saban as the next logical step towards playing in the NFL. But I had forgotten why I chose Notre Dame in the first place, and it took a season away to realize what I had and why I loved Notre Dame.
– Tyler Buchner, Dear Notre Dame
Buchner joined the Capstone last offseason after spending two years in South Bend, joining Tommy Reese (his former OC) at Alabama and hoping to win the starting job. Jalen Milroe held him off, but when he was benched, Buchner stepped in and things didn't go to plan:
I got the green light to start in the third game of the season and had the best week of practice of my career leading up to it. Unfortunately, I played poorly and was benched for the first time in my life by Coach Saban on ESPN. I was devastated and fell into a deep emotional hole. What I had been working so hard for all these years suddenly felt like a pipe dream. And over the following weeks, I felt hopeless and hated football. I had to dig deep to realize that I would have to seek new goals there in Tuscaloosa. I had never played scout team before, but ahead of LSU, I pulled myself out of my funk and volunteered to run scout. After the game, Coach Saban found me and thanked me for helping the team beat the Tigers. I had discovered a new role on the team and recognized that one bad game would not define my contribution. I learned to truly appreciate having shared goals in the common pursuit of excellence, even if I was not playing. – Buchner
Buchner has since transferred back to Notre Dame, first joining the lacrosse team before announcing that he walked on to the Fighting Irish football team as a WR. A tough road to navigate, hopefully, Buchner can find his role back home.
