At the very least, this was a somewhat curious way to answer what appeared to be an innocuous question seeking an update.
Last week, touted 2019 signee Antonio Alfano was suspended for unspecified reasons and didn’t dress for the Week 2 home opener against New Mexico State. This week, the defensive lineman has not participated in any of the three practices -- he’s permitted to practice even as he’s under suspension -- as Alabama prepares for the SEC opener against South Carolina in Columbia this weekend.
Wednesday, Nick Saban was asked if he had an update on Alfano’s status. “Not really,” the head coach responded, cryptically adding, "[h]e’s kind of disappeared a little bit.”
Immediately after that, Saban launched into an oral dissertation about failing to confront and learn from one’s mistakes. From al.com:
As it stands right now, Alfano is not listed in the NCAA transfer database.
During summer camp, Alfano missed a couple of practices for what were described as personal reasons but ultimately returned to the team. Even before the suspension, the lineman didn’t play in the season opener against Duke.
A five-star 2019 signee, Alfano was rated as the No. 1 strongside defensive end in the country; the No. 1 player at any position in the state of New Jersey; and the No. 5 player overall on 247Sports.com‘s composite board. He was the highest-rated Crimson Tide signee during this most recent cycle.