Today’s Adventure in the Portal: Antonio Alfano didn’t want to work; Scooby Carter back on board

In today’s Quitter Hole adventures, we present to you another No. 1 pass rusher who arrived on campus, got himself suspended, didn’t do things the right way, and simply expected that playing time would be given to him.

“It was just a trying time for me being down there,” Alfano told Brian Howell of the Denver Post. “I was kind of also a little frustrated, honestly, with not seeing as much playing time as I would like. I was a little frustrated with that and stuff going on back home. That just made my decision easier.”

We absolutely sympathize with his grief and his grandmother’s health issues (she ultimately passed away in late November). And, we do understand the difficulty with the distance and climate adjustment and hating the heat and homesickness. But, Alfano traveled for one game, did not attend class, was practically invisible in practice and during Camp, was suspended after the first game, made no impact on the roster whatsoever...and expected to have playing time given to him over players who had earned it. And, let’s be honest, despite his protestations of his grandmother’s ailing health, Alfano decided to move 2000 miles to the P12 nearly a full month before she passed away.

If this kid gets a waiver, there will be riots.

This is the third time we’ve seen this over the last five years: Eyabi Anoma was frustrated with his lack of playing time and couldn’t do things right off the field; Rashan Gary was promised a starting role as a true Freshman to come on board to Michigan; and now Mel Tucker may or may not have inherited someone with an incredibly lax work ethic. Who knew that kissing the pampered posteriors of teenagers leads to entitlement?!

And, as a coach, if you’re willing to buy the ticket to take the ride, who knows what you’re going to get. Gary was a serviceable if lazy player who never had the career he ought to. Anoma had 9 tackles as a freshman, and — like Alfano — was in the coaching staff’s doghouse. Who knows what he will do back home in the DMV. And with Alfano now given free reign on a talent-strapped defense in a terrible conference, he may or may not prove to have matured enough to treat this second chance as a learning opportunity.

His comments don’t exactly engender much confidence though. And, from this vantage point, he is shaping up to be a world-class bust.

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One player who was in the doghouse, and then out of it...and then in again...and then allegedly transferring...and now isn’t, is 4-star DB Scooby Carter.

On November 18, Scooby announced he was transferring. On Dec. 11, his dad had a come to Jesus with Scooby, and they decided Alabama was the right place. On Dec. 27, Nick Saban noted that Carter could be returning to the roster (and the good graces) of the Crimson Tide.

And, today, Matt Zenitz is reporting that Carter made it official, removing his name from the Transfer Portal.

Welcome back, Scooby. With Alabama losing Shyheim Carter, Xavier McKinney, Jared Mayden, and Trevon Diggs, his experience with the scheme is some welcome news.