Of the 18 outgoing transfers to leave Alabama football since the start of last season, only one left Nick Saban “disappointed.”

“I’m not mentioning any names, but there’s only like one player that I was really like disappointed that the guy didn’t stay here, and I couldn’t understand why he was leaving,” Saban said, “And all the rest of them, they would have contributed if they stayed and had the right attitude, but it’s their choice.”

The Crimson Tide head coach wasn’t dropping names on Wednesday night during his mid-week press conference. However, Saban did discuss the Tide’s philosophy regarding losing players to the portal each season and how that can impact recruitment and retention.

It would be a fool’s errand to guess which player Alabama the 17-year Tide coach was referring to. (It’s very unlikely Saban will circle back around to revealing the player later this year). The question was pegged around Alabama’s wide receivers, but a UA communications staffer later elaborated that Saban was talking about the team’s overall departures.

Last fall, Saban discussed the team’s depth issues as a consequence of the portal. Players who would be in line for starting roles jump for what they view as greener pastures elsewhere before they get a chance to compete, Saban reasoned.

“Guys that get in the transfer portal, this is not for everybody, OK,” Saban continued. “So maybe people that wanna be here, wanna be good, wanna do the best they can, develop value for their future and who they are as a person, what kind of requirements we have for them to succeed academically so they can develop a career on the field and what we’re gonna try to do to develop them on the field.”

Alabama’s notable transfers included running back Trey Sanders (TCU), wide receivers Traeshon Holden (Oregon), Aaron Anderson (LSU), JoJo Earle (TCU), offensive lineman Javion Cohen (Miami), linebacker Demouy Kennedy (Colorado) and cornerback Jahquez Robinson (Colorado).

Saban did say that with players leaving, scholarships open back up and allow the Tide to be active in acquiring talent. This offseason, the Tide brought in Maryland tight end CJ Cippre, Georgia inside linebacker Trezmen Marshall, safety Jaylen Key, quarterback Tyler Buchner and cornerback Trey Amos. Each of them are contending for snaps this preseason.

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Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].