Another former Nick Saban recruit leaves Alabama for an HBCU.
With Terrance Howard on board, North Carolina Central appears to be well positioned to compete in the MEAC.
Terrance Howard, a former Alabama defensive back under Nick Saban, is leaving the Crimson Tide to play at HBCU. According to Steven J. Gaither of HBCU Gameday, the exceptional defensive stalworth will join the North Carolina Central Eagles. Despite Howard’s vow to play for Alabama in 2023, he did not make the starting lineup during Nick Saban’s final season as head coach.
Howard confirmed his relocation a few weeks ago. On social media, he uploaded a note that read,
“I’d want to begin by thanking God for guiding me through my life’s path and for my passion of sports.
Next, I’d like to thank the staff and coaches for helping me grow as a man and pushing me to do better. Learning from everyone of you has been a great blessing.
I’d also like to thank all of my brothers and comrades; the special bonds we established in these brief minutes were fantastic.
Not to mention, I’d like to thank Bama Nation for all of the exciting moments you’ve always had. After some contemplation, I’ll log into the transfer portal with four years of eligibility.
Howard was an outstanding cornerback at Ridge Point High School in Texas, where he excelled and was named to the All-District team in 2021. He displayed his abilities by recording 41 tackles, two sacks, one interception, and eight pass breakups. He also excelled on the track, winning several championships, including the district 20-6A 400-meter champion and the regional qualifier in 48.75. After transferring to Jireh Prep near Charlotte in 2022, he made an immediate impact on the field and in the classroom, earning choices for the post-grad All-Star team and nominations for Offensive Player of the Year.
After logging into the transfer site, he received a lot of interest from SWAC and MEAC HBCUs, such as Texas Southern and Southern University. In the end, he decided to attend North Carolina Central, a club that had just ended the previous season with an FCS Playoff berth and a Celebration Bowl win. Howard wants to replace players who have made important contributions on defense, such as Brandon Codrington, who just signed an undrafted free agent contract with the New York Jets, and Khalil Baker, the 2022 MEAC Defensive Player of the Year and first Aeneas Williams Award recipient.
Howard is the most recent Alabama Crimson Tide player to leave the program and attend an HBCU. Reed Harradine, a former Alabama placekicker, joined Grambling through the transfer portal in April. Despite not playing for the Crimson Tide this season, Harradine is currently facing legal action as a result of an October hit-and-run in Tuscaloosa that collided with Timothy Moore’s vehicle.
The Harradine family’s counsel issued a statement opposing the lawsuit.
“In order to grow their legal profession, Mr. Moore’s lawyers are attempting to damage our son’s reputation. It is terrible that Mr. Moore’s counsel would take the case public. It is unusual, if not unprecedented, for a law firm to address a traffic accident during a press conference.
“We disagree with allegations suggesting Mr. Moore suffered serious injuries in the collision,” they said. The statement said, “We all look forward to mounting a strong defense in court.”