Alabama cornerback Alonzo Lawrence is "exploring his options" as to a potential transfer before the 2009 season, a source close to the situation told the Press-Register today.
Lawrence is expected to meet with Alabama coaches sometime in the next week. As of now, he remains enrolled in summer school at UA, but the former Mississippi prep standout may join a growing list of player attrition before the Crimson Tide starts fall practice Aug. 6.
The rumors are true, and it seems like Alonzo Lawrence may be the next to go from Tuscaloosa. No decision has been made as of yet, and he might still stay, but at the very least he's exploring his options. A transfer to Southern Miss seems most likely, which would be closer to his hometown of Lucedale. Fortunately, though, he's still enrolled at UA and is in no academic trouble, so he could very well stay.
Lawrence was a very highly-touted member of the 2008 class, and could have gone to any school in the country. He was expected to make a big contribution last year, but instead redshirted, and looked to be buried on the depth chart this past Spring as well. I'm hoping Lawrence sticks around because he has an incredible amount of talent, but by the same token I can see why he would be considering a transfer. He's not looking to get any major amount of playing time this year, and with 2010 he's going to have to beat out Kirkpatrick, Milliner, Burton Scott, Phelon Jones, and others to get on the field. Hopefully he'll make the right decision one way or the other.
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Really hope he
stays, but I could understand if he transfers. Unless everyone was wrong he has major talent but if he never plays any future career is also gone. Really shows the depth we are developing when a guy like Lawrence can’t get on the field.
I hate the NCAA more than UT & AU combined. At least with UT & AU you got a fighting chance.
That was I was thinking
A) how good is our depth at secondary when Lawrence can’t crack the two-deep and
B) how can someone who absolutely shutdown Julio in the ALA-MISS all-star game NOT make it on the field? Is it as RedTide states below? or is those in front of him that much better? I refuse to believe that Marquise is a better corner, athletically.
I just won a t-shirt tearing contest against the Tennessee coaching staff
by Stuck in the Plains on Jul 18, 2009 3:02 PM CDT up reply actions
Well if you can't pick up zone coverage better than some of our corners...
…you probably ain’t gonna make it…
Furthermore, if he thinks Saban’s secondary calls/checks are complex, he might be in for a world of hurt. If he has the opportunity at the next level.
Offense sells tickets. Defense wins games. - Paul W. "Bear" Bryant
by TheRedTideConsumes on Jul 18, 2009 2:49 PM CDT reply actions
I shouldn't have said that, but it is one of the more popular rumors.
Offense sells tickets. Defense wins games. - Paul W. "Bear" Bryant
by TheRedTideConsumes on Jul 18, 2009 2:50 PM CDT up reply actions
good thing I know you are.
this is my brother. ignore him. :)
Offense sells tickets. Defense wins games. - Paul W. "Bear" Bryant
by TheRedTideConsumes on Jul 18, 2009 3:40 PM CDT up reply actions
I
didn’t think Saban was a big fan of zone coverage.
"A demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots." -H. L. Mencken
From the Outside Looking In
We don’t know what goes on within the program, but from the outside looking in Lawrence appears to be someone who went as far as his (apparently large) talent could take him, but wasn’t willing to put the work in to get to the next level. If you can’t put 24 on the bench, you aren’t going to make it in the SEC, at least not at the new Bama. Maybe in Shula’s day, but not now.
This may be completely unfair to him, and if he leaves I wish him well wherever he ends up. But when you look at the development of a Rashad Johnson or a Robby Green, it’s obvious that the coaching is there for the kids who will take it and do what they’re told. If a player, especially a secondary player, doesn’t improve under this staff, it’s on them.
IDK
I don’t think this is good news at all. I remember everyone being very high on him and hoping he’d be the next great Alabama DB…i know we have some great talent behind and ahead of him but having a guy of his stature leave (maybe) after only one season, isn’t good news any way you put it.
Thinking about it, i don’t really remember much talk about him before the Ala/ Miss allstar game…
Anyways, i hope he changes his mind and sticks around. What im really hoping this isn’t is some failed attempt in scaring our coaching staff into giving him more PT…..of course thats just a random thought…I know its not fact Pete :)
"First, there are winners and know they are winners. Then there are the losers who know they are losers. Then there are those who are not winners but don’t know it. They’re the ones for me. They never quit trying. They’re the soul of our game."– Paul "Bear" Bryant
If a player that was as highly recruited as and with the talent of Lawrence is going elsewhere to seek playing time...
….it should be a further indication that nothing “evil” is going on with our attrition.
thats a great point
This isn’t some scrub who knew he couldn’t cut it….
"First, there are winners and know they are winners. Then there are the losers who know they are losers. Then there are those who are not winners but don’t know it. They’re the ones for me. They never quit trying. They’re the soul of our game."– Paul "Bear" Bryant
He should stay
Arenas, Woodall, and Mar. Johnson will graduate. Kareem Jackson is a junior. There are countless opportunities for a good defensive back to get on the field, and there’s nothing wrong with having a deep secondary.
Scott, Kirkpatrick, Barron, Green will not play every snap, and our best defenses (1992, 2005) had deep secondaries. He’s worried now because he’s a second year freshman surrounded by a number of good young defensive backs. This is understandable, but there’s nothing wrong with being a key back-up player on a winning team. You’ll still play most of the game and you’ll be in big games. That’s better than playing every snap for a team that doesn’t win. It’s his decision, though.
MATRIX: Bennett, I thought you were--
BENNETT: Dead? You thought wrong. Ever since you had me thrown out of the unit, I've been waiting to pay you back. Do you know what today is, Matrix? Payday.
But thinking towards the future
He wants to go to the NFL, and being the 3rd or 4th corner his senior year isn’t going to help his chances. From what I’ve heard, Lawrence had a very difficult time grasping Saban’s defense. That is a big reason why someone so talented could be redshirted in a year where the secondary was our weakness on defense.
36-0
So I just something interesting on BOL
NCAA Manual Sect. 15.3.5.1 Institutional Obligation. The renewal of institutional financial aid based in any degree on athletics ability shall be made on or before July 1 prior to the academic year in which it is to be effective.
This all is a shock to no one in the know. Getting bent out of shape is pretty much pointless.
Offense sells tickets. Defense wins games. - Paul W. "Bear" Bryant
by TheRedTideConsumes on Jul 18, 2009 7:20 PM CDT reply actions
+1
"First, there are winners and know they are winners. Then there are the losers who know they are losers. Then there are those who are not winners but don’t know it. They’re the ones for me. They never quit trying. They’re the soul of our game."– Paul "Bear" Bryant
agree
this is nothing but bad news to me. He’s only been there 1 year and like was stated above, Arenas & Johnson are gone after this year. I sincerely hope he gives it one more year.
"A demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots." -H. L. Mencken
Luther Davis considered going home for a while last year
He was in a similar situation: highly touted, redshirted, wasn’t sure where he stood going into his second year. Not sure how deep the similarities go, but LD stuck around even after missing a bit of spring practice to think about it. And didn’t Arenas briefly consider a transfer?
I think sometimes The Process forces a player into a gut check moment: Can I do this? Do I have what it takes? Do I even want to do this? It sure would be easier somewhere else…
If a player takes some time to really think through it and then makes the decision that they want to be all they can be no matter what it takes then, well, maybe we look back at this as a turning point in Alonzo’s career where he buckled down and turned all that raw talent into a DB that any school (and NFL team) would covet. On the other hand, he may be gone next week. I do like the fact that he’s meeting with the coaches instead of just running away. Hopefully they can help him make the right decision.
as the old saying goes: "Tought times don't last, tough people do."
Offense sells tickets. Defense wins games. - Paul W. "Bear" Bryant
by TheRedTideConsumes on Jul 18, 2009 10:47 PM CDT up reply actions
Sometimes, a highly rated recruit isn't as good as his ratings..
or doesn’t develop as expected. It happens in every class for every team.
As I recall, Lawrence was a late-riser. Almost no one had heard of him until his senior year, and when all-star games rolled around he started getting a lot of attention and rose up the recruiting rankings. Sometimes those guys turn out to be steals. Sometimes not.
Richard Pittman
by Richard Pittman on Jul 19, 2009 1:51 PM CDT reply actions
+1
on the MS-AL All Star Game. He covered Julio in that game and played very well against him from all reports. His recruitment was followed with almost as much interest as Jone’s was by Bama fans. If Saban can turn Arenas, Johnson & Jackson into decent corners, I’m sure he can do the same with Lawrence.
"A demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots." -H. L. Mencken
In
any event it garned him attention, he had a pick six in that game if memory serves.
"A demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots." -H. L. Mencken
And
FWIW Julio hurt is still better than all the greek gods put together.
"A demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots." -H. L. Mencken
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