Alabama head coach Nick Saban said Wednesday that he assumes one of his top recruits has quit the football team.
Saban stated that defensive end Antonio Alfano has stopped showing up to practice or attending his classes. Saban announced last week that Alfano had been suspended for unknown reasons, and Alfano later entered the transfer portal. Alfano’s father stated that the player’s grandmother is very sick and on life support. (RELATED: Why Alabama Will Win The 2019 National Championship)
“Well, I don’t really know much about that. I just know that the guy basically quit,” Saban said, according to 247 Sports. “He quit going to class, he quit coming here. We tried to encourage him, we tried to help him. We had tried to set up counseling sessions with him to help him every way we could. And all those things are still available to him if he wants them, but he didn’t respond to any of the things, so until he responds, you just have to assume the guy quit.”
Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide runs warmups prior to facing the Auburn Tigers at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 24, 2018 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Alfano was the top ranked defensive end out of high school last year, according to 247 sports. Obviously, we should all hope and pray for Alfano’s family, but it appears that the high school phenom got in Saban’s doghouse and never was able to get it.
It appears that Alfano’s quick stint with the Crimson Tide may be over. A change of scenery may do him well at this point, and all Alabama fans should wish him well.