USC transfer Domani Jackson opens up about experiencing his first spring game at Alabama: "This is different"

Alabama Crimson Tide cornerback Domani Jackson received news of coach Nick Saban's retirement during his first meeting with the team after transferring from the USC Trojans. Despite the shock of the legendary coach's retirement, he decided to stick it out with new coach Kalen DeBoer.

While speaking to Bama's in-house channel, Jackson revealed that the spring game during A-Day was the loudest he had heard the Bryant-Denny Stadium and that it was different from his usual home stadium appearances.

"It was the loudest I've ever heard when we came out. It was the loudest I've ever heard in that stadium and it was for a spring game. I was like, 'This is different'," Jackson said.

Domani Jackson endears himself to Alabama fans

Domani Jackson was heavily recruited by Alabama and coach Nick Saban from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, but he chose to join the USC Trojans in 2022.

When he entered the transfer portal from USC, Jackson was rated the No. 3 cornerback and No. 25 overall player in the portal and he eventually chose Alabama over the Michigan Wolverines.

When Jackson joined the Crimson Tide via the transfer portal in December, the legendary Nick Saban showed his enthusiasm for him by jogging over during practice before the Rose Bowl clash against Jim Harbaugh's Michigan Wolverines to greet him.

During an appearance on "Winner Circle Athletics," Jackson endeared himself to Alabama fans with his recollection of why he decided to stay at the program even as others opted to leave due to coach Nick Saban's retirement.

“Everybody was talking about they leaving. Everybody was talking about ‘Oh I’m out.' The next day, man, I see everybody in the locker room. Like, y’all not going nowhere," Jackson said.

“I was already there, so I said, ‘I’m going nowhere,’" Jackson said. "My whole motto was, I know what Alabama is, I know who they are, I know how they grind. Like, that's what I want to be a part of. I needed that in my life at that time.”

Domani Jackson could have a big part to play for Bama after the team lost cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Kool-Aid McKinstry to the 2024 NFL Draft.

The Alabama Crimson Tide managed to sign former Washington Huskies coach Kalen DeBoer, who showed his pedigree with an appearance in the College Football National Championship game.

Maybe the new coach will vindicate Domani Jackson's decision to stay in Tuscaloosa.