“This must mean Saban is out the door” - CFB fans left debating after 9 Alabama players enter transfer portal in less than 24 hours

Alabama football fans woke up Wednesday to a seismic shift within their beloved program. Just days after a close, overtime loss to the No. 1 Michigan Wolverines in the College Football Playoff, nine Crimson Tide players decided to enter the transfer portal in a mere 15-minute span, per reports.

National college football reporter Matt Zenitz broke the news via Twitter. The departures, occurring on Jan. 3, came within the five-day window for underclassmen transfers (which opened on Jan. 2), while graduate transfers have the flexibility to enter at any time.

CFB fans were left reeling, igniting a firestorm of debate online.

"This must mean Saban is out the door!" tweeted one distraught fan. "Really hope they don't steal Drinkwitz from Mizzou but I fear the damage is already done."

“The castles crumbling,” one tweeted.

“DAMN,” a fan reacted.

“'Culture problem' am I doing this right?” an X user tweeted.

“Sucks to see Little and Story go, was hoping to see them more next season,” a fan reacted.

“Nick Saban is retiring it’s the only answer,” one wrote.

"They should all transfer to #Rutgers to play for the Schiano man!” one tweeted.

“Seth McLaughlin destroyed the team,” another fan reacted.

“Oh no the wheels are falling off,” a fan reacted.

“Wow Alabama is in shambles,” another tweeted.

Alabama players who made the jump to the transfer portal

According to reports, the list of nine departing Alabama Crimson Tide players is as follows:

• Freshman QB Eli Holstein
• WRs Shazz Preston and Malik Benson
• TE Miles Kitselman
• Starting center Seth McLaughlin
• OL Terrence Ferguson, DL Monkell Goodwine
• DBs Earl Little and Kristian Story

And the exodus didn't stop there. The Athletic later unearthed even more names swelling the ranks of the Crimson Tide's transfer portal contingent:

• DL Isaiah Hastings
• DL Anquin Barnes (Colorado)
• WR Ja'Corey Brooks (Louisville)
• WR Thaiu Jones-Bell
• QB Tyler Buchner (Notre Dame, lacrosse transfer)

Nonetheless, the Maxwell Football Club announced that Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban is one of the five finalists for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award. The winner will be announced on Jan. 10.