DeVonta Smith had spent most of his collegiate career under the watchful eyes of Nick Saban before moving to Notre Dame. In doing so, he’s now been part of two powerhouses whose identities couldn’t be more different. Alabama thrives on relentless competition, while the Irish are defined by a deep sense of brotherhood. Naturally, when Smith arrived at South Bend, he faced culture shock.

After Saban left, the DB spent some time at Tuscaloosa and entered the transfer portal in December 2024. Within 48 hours, he gave his commitment to Marcus Freeman’s Irish. Entering a new environment, Smith faced significant culture shock. When asked about what differences he felt, he pointed to the locker room chemistry.

“Definitely different than where I was before. Definitely a big culture shock,” he said to the press. “The guys, we are extremely close. I definitely didn’t think we would be so close, and it’s been great here for sure.”

Smith’s comments paint a rosy picture of Marcus Freeman’s program. However, on the other side, does his statement point to a toxic locker room culture at Alabama?

The Crimson Tide has been a blue-blood program for decades. Under Nick Saban’s guidance, it won six national championships. But in January 2024, Saban left, and former Washington coach Kalen DeBoer took the reins.

The Tide had grown accustomed to winning; last year’s nine-win record left the locker room frustrated. Disciplinary issues constantly made headlines. Malachi Moore’s end-of-game antics against Vanderbilt were all over the internet. The frustration seeped into the next season as well. Loss to FSU was a fresh burn on the former pains. When the Tide won against South Carolina this season, QB Ty Simpson’s comments reflected the present and past realities of the Alabama locker room.

“The amount of ‘I got your back’ in that locker room right now is amazing. I’ve never felt that in a locker room before, the amount of trust, having each other’s backs,” Simpson had said.

Last season, DeVonta Smith was the starting Husky (nickelback position at Notre Dame) for Alabama. He witnessed the frustration stemming from the locker room. But perhaps the latter stretch of the 2025 season has made a difference. As Simpson pointed the “I got your back” emotion is very much seeped into the locker room bond. The FSU loss was the lone defeat they faced so far, and it seems the winning culture is back. LB Deonte Lawson shed more light on their strong bond.

“We just play for each other,” LB Deontae Lawson said after the win over South Carolina. “We don’t want to go in that locker room and look each other in the eye with disappointment. I think that’s the biggest thing.”

Smith hinted at Alabama’s locker room friction, but also credited his former school for his development.

DeVonta Smith credits legendary coach Nick Saban for his development

After coming to South Bend, DeVonta Smith’s initial two months have been marred by injuries. He rolled off his ankle injury and sustained a calf injury. But he is back, preparing for his fifth game appearance this weekend. While preparing, his former coach, Nick Saban, has helped him give his best.

“Everything he’s taught me, I try to take in and use for my benefit,” Smith said Monday after practice. “Definitely one thing he always harped on was having good eyes. In man coverage, my eyes being low, to the hip or to the number, however you want to play it,” Smith elaborates on the importance of having good eyes. “Having great leverage because receivers try to fake you out. They’re impostors, not to be trusted. You definitely have to lock in with the details.”

Along with taking insights from Saban’s coaching, he credits defensive back coach Mike Mickens and senior defensive analyst Andy Buh, calling him “an extremely detailed guy” for his development. So far, he has recorded 15 tackles. Notre Dame next faces Stanford on Saturday.