Alabama’s depth takes a major blow following the loss of experienced contributor on the Crimson Tide’s offense

Alabama loses valuable depth on its offense at several key positions after Rose Bowl blowout, and will need to hit the transfer portal for help.

Josh Taylor, Rob Gregson
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The Alabama Crimson Tide suffered a blowout loss in the Rose Bowl to the Indiana Hoosiers, and it didn’t take long for the losses to keep coming.

Just hours after watching its season come to an end, the transfer portal opened up for players to leave their teams, and Alabama was a focal point for several players having to make a tough decision. The portal gives, and the portal takes away, and Alabama is far too familiar with it.

Soon after losing former 5-star recruit Jalen Mbakwe, Alabama took a hit to its depth at several positions on offense.

Alabama loses offensive line depth to the transfer portal

We saw multiple combinations on the offensive line this year, and sometimes it just wasn’t working in the run game, as well as protecting Ty Simpson. The offensive line will look much different next year, and both Olaus Alinen and Joseph Ionata have taken their names out of the competition and entered the portal.

Alinen played on 165 snaps on Alabama’s offensive line over the last three years, and would’ve been a valuable depth player with experience. I asked fellow A to Z Sports Alabama writer Rob Gregson what this means for the offensive line and how much it will change this offseason.

“The exodus among the offensive line has begun and is likely to continue with draft declarations from Crimson Tide players like Kadyn Proctor and Parker Brailsford, along with backup center Joseph Ionata expected to hit the portal as well. Alinen was an experienced lineman, playing nearly three seasons’ worth of games at both guard and tackle for Alabama. The subtraction is not a major blow, but it ensures that Alabama will be taking a look at veteran contributors in the portal. With a big year three on deck for Kalen DeBoer’s offense and a lot of turnover already taking place, the loss of Alinen isn’t major, but it’s notable as Alabama loses a big-time depth piece.” – Rob Gregson, A to Z Sports Alabama

The offensive line wasn’t the only position group to take a depth hit, as the wide receiver room lost another player who had high expectations that, unfortunately, didn’t work out at Alabama.

Former top-50 recruit Jalen Hale enters the transfer portal

Hale was the No. 38 overall player in the 2023 recruiting class according to Rivals’ rankings, and he had high expectations for Alabama’s offense. He played in all 13 games as a freshman in 2023 and finished with five catches for 148 yards and a touchdown. Hale was headed for a big season in 2024, but it was unfortunately cut short before it could even begin, and now he’s headed elsewhere to contribute.

Hale had a major setback after suffering a severe knee injury during spring practice in 2024, which made him miss the entire season. He was never able to find valuable playing time in 2025 with only 49 snaps on the season, and didn’t record a single catch.

More names will be headed to the portal after the Rose Bowl loss, but Alabama will also be in the running to add major talent as well to help bounce back next season.

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