The Alabama football program is reloading following the retirement of longtime head coach Nick Saban. Like most Division 1 teams, Alabama is dealing with movement in the college football transfer portal. One of the latest moves surrounds former four-star defensive back Peyton Woodyard.

Peyton Woodyard has entered the transfer portal with a “do not contact” tag, On3's Pete Nakos reports. The tag likely means Woodard knows his next destination. The freshman safety did not appear in any games for Alabama during the 2023-24 season. Still, his departure is being felt by the team.

Alabama co-defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach Colin Hitschler praised Woodyard for his work ethic during his year-long tenure with the team.

“I love Peyton. Peyton’s a California kid who’s a long way from home, and that can be a tough situation early for you. But he’s a grinder, he’s working, he’s focused. He’s playing with the twos right now and making a lot of plays. I can’t say enough about him,” Hitschler said via The Spun.

Peyton Woodyard is a Fullerton, California native. Could he be plotting to return somewhere closer to home? It will be interesting to see where his path leads him. In the meantime, Alabama will continue to prepare for an attempt to stay atop the SEC.

The Crimson Tide finished the 2023-24 season with a 12-2 overall record. They had an incredible late-season run headlined by a thrilling 27-24 SEC Championship victory over Georgia. Alabama then made the College Football Playoff but lost 27-20 to the eventual national champion Michigan Wolverines.

Just when fans thought things could not get any crazier, Nick Saban retired from Alabama in early January. It will be hard to replace Saban's historic impact on the program as the team heads into 2024-25.

Can Alabama football stay dominant without Nick Saban?

Nick Saban is widely considered one of the greatest college football coaches of time. Former North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye gave a first-hand endorsement of Saban when reflecting on his college decision process.

“I dreaded it for a while. Coach Saban was one of my favorites in the recruiting process, so having to tell him that I'm going to stay home was tough. But I think Coach Saban understood. Maybe it would have worked out a little differently, but at the same time, Coach Saban, I think he's the GOAT of college football. He turned out all right,” Maye said via the Dan Patrick Show.

Saban made a legendary impact on the Alabama football program during his 17-year tenure with the program. He helped the team win six national championships and nine SEC titles. He was also heavily involved in community work and helped numerous players start their professional careers.

The coveted coach gave an emotional parting message when decided to hang his coaching hat up.

“It is not just about how many games we won and lost, but it's about the legacy and how we went about it. We always tried to do it the right way. The goal was always to help players create more value for their future, be the best player they could be and be more successful in life,” Saban said.

The former head coach ended with this: “Hopefully, we have done that, and we will always consider Alabama our home.”

Even though Nick Saban is no longer at the helm, the Crimson Tide certainly can remain one of the best teams in the nation. It will be interesting to see how the team copes with its college football transfer portal movement going into 2024-25.