"I got kind of stagnant in my development": Ohio State center makes huge revelation about Alabama exit

Ohio State center Seth McLaughlin opened up about the reason why he left the Alabama Crimson Tide after the 2023 season. On Sunday, he appeared on the "Cube Show" with Cole Cubelic.

McLaughlin said the major reason behind his departure from the Crimson Tide was because he felt his development had gone stagnant. He also talked about how their Rose Bowl loss to the Michigan Wolverines was the final straw that promoted his decision to enter the transfer portal.

"I felt like I got stagnant in my development," McLaughlin said. "Not by anything that the coaches did, just because there was a ton of younger guys, that need to be developed to get on the field and play. And when you're a guy that knows what he's doing, there's a lot more coaching on what people are doing at that point than how to do it."

"So I just knew I kind of wanted to leave and get more development on myself and I thought that I could do that if I switch programs and I change. That definitely culminated, all those thoughts culminated after the Rose Bowl game.....Everything's blowing up placing the whole loss on me. I see my address get leaked on Twitter. It was kind of a surreal moment. I had those conversations I needed to with my position coach..... I talked to Coach Saban.

McLaughlin said Saban wanted him to stay but understood the reason behind his decision:

"He didn't want me to leave. But he told me he really understood why I wanted to. He wanted me to stay but I wasn't gonna do that. I just gotta go and find a new place to grow and become the player I knew I could be. I'm glad it worked out that way."

Seth McLaughlin joined the Ohio State Buckeyes during the 2024 season. After four seasons with the Crimson Tide, he played a major role for Ohio State as they won the CFP national championship.

He was also recognized as a Consensus All-American for his contributions to the Buckeyes. Now McLaughlin is gearing up for the upcoming NFL draft and beginning his professional career in the league.

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Seth McLaughlin's Ohio State campaign was cut short due to an injury

The Ohio State center suffered an Achilles tendon injury during a practice session back in November. This injury led to being sidelined for the rest of the season and the playoffs.

Despite the absence of their center, the Buckeyes' only loss came during their regular season showdown against the Michigan Wolverines. They put up an impressive performance in the rest of the games and the playoffs and even secured a victory over the undefeated Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl.

Seth McLaughlin ended his collegiate journey with two national championships under his belt. Experts project him to be a sixth to seventh-round pick in the draft in April.