Prior to the National Championship game, Ohio State Buckeyes standout Caleb Downs made a candid confession about his choice to transfer from Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama Crimson Tide.
The 2024 NCAA season was nothing short of disheartening for the Alabama Crimson Tide and their supporters in Tuscaloosa. Under Kalen DeBoer’s first year as head coach, the team struggled, missing the playoffs and watching former star Caleb Downs excel with the Ohio State Buckeyes.
As Alabama focuses on the upcoming season, with DeBoer aiming to assemble a competitive squad following quarterback Jalen Milroe’s departure to the NFL, Ohio State is preparing for the National Championship game in Atlanta.
Although these are two distinct narratives, there is a common thread linking them: Caleb Downs’ transfer from Alabama to Ohio State in the offseason. As the standout safety readies for the biggest game of his college career, he shared a candid insight into his decision to leave the Crimson Tide.
“I didn’t know right away that I was going to hit the portal,” Downs revealed during the National Championship Media Day, according to On3. “I tried to give every opportunity to stay.”
Safety Caleb Downs #2 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates after their victory against the Tennessee Volunteers at Ohio Stadium on December 21, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio.
“I stayed for like an extra like six days, five days, just to feel out the new coaching staff, see who they were going to hire and see if I could stay, because at that time I didn’t really want to leave, and I wanted to stick to my choice that I made in high school to stay there. And it didn’t turn out that way,” Downs shared.
Where it all went wrong
Downs’ statement highlights that he originally planned to remain at Alabama but was ultimately persuaded to leave due to the hiring decisions surrounding the coaching staff. His remarks, alongside a frustrating season for the Crimson Tide, have fueled critics of DeBoer’s hiring.
Many now speculate that had a different coach been chosen, Alabama might have been able to keep Downs—and perhaps, just maybe, their season would have unfolded differently.
However, this is purely speculative and hypothetical. What remains clear is that Downs and the Buckeyes are set to compete for a national championship against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, while Alabama and DeBoer find themselves grappling with uncertainty.
Head coach Kalen DeBoer of the Alabama Crimson Tide walks onto the field after their 28-14 victory over the Auburn Tigers at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 30, 2024, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Saban’s exit
Nick Saban’s retirement came as a huge shock, leaving many in disbelief. Following an overtime loss to Michigan at the Rose Bowl, Saban stepped away from the program in Tuscaloosa, taking a significant portion of its legacy and prestige with him.
The first season after Saban’s departure was a tough one. DeBoer was fully aware of the enormous challenge ahead, stepping into the large void left by Saban and inheriting a roster filled with stars, many of whom had initially chosen Alabama because of Saban’s influence.
“That came at a huge shock to me,” Downs said regarding Saban’s retirement, according to On3. “I didn’t see it coming at all, and even when he said it, I was still like, did this really just happen, because that was one of the main reasons I went there to Alabama. And it was a really difficult time for me.”
