Winning the national title was a massive accomplishment for former rising Michigan football star Keon Sabb, a safety who saw five starts and 14 games throughout the Wolverines’ 2023 title run. Still, nothing was strong enough in Ann Arbor to keep the ex-Michigan defender from hitting the transfer portal and moving to an SEC powerhouse as big as they come: the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Rising Michigan football star announces transfer portal move to Alabama Crimson Tide
Keon Sabb is joining some familiar faces this year when he makes the move to the SEC and suits up for Alabama football for the first time since picking Michigan football out of high school. Sabb, who was a major player for the Wolverines throughout the 2023 season, helped Michigan down Bama in the Rose Bowl (CFP semi-final) before taking down the Tide’s new coach — Kalen DeBoer, who was the coach of Washington last year — in the national title bout.
Of course, there are many outside factors in Sabb’s decision to leave the Michigan football program — namely, the Wolverines are losing Jim Harbaugh (head coach), Jesse Minter (defensive coordinator), and other coaches. Also, Rod Moore and Makari Paige are both returning this fall, meaning reps are limited, and the school remains under investigation by the NCAA, which was likely a much smaller factor if a factor at all.
If Michigan football can survive its grueling 2024 schedule, and Alabama somehow manages to handle Saban’s retirement in stride, we could see Keon Sabb suiting up against his old team in the College Football Playoff — what a matchup that would be.
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