Former Alabama LB Says Quiet Part Out Loud After Ditching Crimson Tide For SEC Rival
Former Alabama linebacker Justin Okoronkwo left the Crimson Tide after the 2024 season. He’s since laned at an SEC rival that happens to be on the ’25 schedule.
The defender signed with South Carolina in the offseason. He broke down his reasoning for the move in a recent conversation.
Okoronkwo spent just one season in Tuscaloosa after joining the team as a member of the most recent recruiting class. As a high schooler, he was considered the top prospect in all of Europe.
Hailing from Germany, his football career is really just getting started. He’d grown up doing gymnastics and playing soccer. Only in the last few years did he begin pursuing football as a serious avenue.
It’s paid immediate dividends. He caught the eyes of US schools on the recruiting trail, eventually signing on to play for Nick Saban at Alabama. Unfortunately, his head coach left three weeks later. Still, he opted to see the coaching transition through for his freshman season.
Justin Okoronkwo appeared in 12 games as a reserve and special teamer. He recorded 13 tackles. He opted to leave the Crimson Tide after Year 1 in pursuit of playing time.
That decision was made after seeing the experience returning in Tuscaloosa next fall. He recently spoke with The State Newspaper about that move.
Veteran linebackers Deontae Lawson and Justin Jefferson recently announced their plans to return for another season. The Crimson Tide also signed Colorado transfer Nikhai Hill-Green.
He’ll likely see more snaps at South Carolina, who has to replace a pair starting linebackers in the ’25 campaign. Still, the quote came off as Okoronkwo running from competition as opposed to embracing it.
The transfer portal has allowed college football players to seek out opportunities when unhappy with their position on the depth chart. That’s a good thing in many cases.
The drawback is an unwillingness to honor commitments while taking time to develop. Gone are the days of sitting on the sidelines before earning a starting role.
