One of the tougher pills for Alabama fans to swallow was James Smith's decision to enter the Transfer Portal following the season. Ohio State appears hopeful that he's going to turn into a dominant force that he just never was in Tuscaloosa:Good luck trying to run up the middle against James Smith. Perhaps he makes that kind of leap at Ohio State. But Alabama fans know that Ohio State ought to be cautious with the expectations for Smith and Russaw. After losing Smith, Kalen DeBoer and his staff were aggressive in pursuing upgrades on the defensive line.