While Alabama continued its recruiting roll over the weekend, the Crimson Tide football roster has seemingly been hit with a bit of attrition. A punter, but still.
On the official online Alabama football roster, the name of Skyler Delong is no longer listed. Thus far, neither the player nor the football program has commented on the punter’s status with Nick Saban’s squad.
You know where else Delong isn’t listed? In the NCAA transfer database. Should that change, though...
Now, for what’s seemingly becoming a daily disclaimer when it comes to transfers.
As we’ve stated myriad times in the past, a player can remove his name from the portal and remain at the same school. At this point, though, other programs are permitted to contact a player without receiving permission from his current football program.
NCAA bylaws also permit schools to pull a portal entrant’s scholarship at the end of the semester in which he entered it.
Delong was a three-star member of the Alabama football Class of 2018. The South Carolina product was rated as the No. 4 punter in the country.
As a true freshman, Delong averaged 34.4 yards on 16 punts. Four of those attempts ended up inside the 20-yard line. Delong began the 2019 campaign as the Crimson Tide’s primary punter. That run ended after five games and a 33-yard average on 10 punts.
Delong had been the only scholarship punter on the Alabama football team. After replacing Delong and averaging 44.7 yards per punt, walk-on Ty Perine is the favorite to win the starting job. Provided there is a 2020 season, of course.