Trezmen Marshall decision adds more spice to Georgia football-Alabama rivalry

ATHENS — It made sense that Trezmen Marshall would want to look elsewhere for opportunities. The fourth-year linebacker is clearly good enough to play at a high level as he was able to consistently find his way onto the field for a championship-winning defense this past season.

Georgia brought back both starting linebackers in Jamon Dumas-Johnson and Smael Mondon. The Bulldogs also signed three linebackers in the 2023 recruiting cycle, with Raylen Wilson and CJ Allen already on campus. Add in younger options in Xavian Sorey and Jalon Walker and it’s understandable why a veteran player would look for a better opportunity elsewhere.

Few expected though that Marshall would find that opportunity at Alabama, which is where Marshall announced he would be transferring to on Thursday night.

For what it’s worth, Schumann was out on the road recruiting with Smart on Thursday. Despite message board desires, there’s been no public indication that he is leaving Athens yet.

Marshall’s move to Alabama marks the second-straight year a Georgia player has transferred to Alabama. The Crimson Tide grabbed Georgia wide receiver Jermaine Burton out of the transfer portal last season, a move that saw much more vitriol.

Burton did end up leading the Crimson Tide in receiving this past season and will be sticking around Tuscaloosa, Ala., for another year. Burton did not get a chance to play against his former team however, as Alabama lost twice the past season. Georgia was leading wide receiver was Ladd McConkey, who posted better yardage and reception numbers than Burton, and the Bulldogs won another national championship.

Georgia and Alabama aren’t traditional rivals. But it’s hard to look at the way the two programs have intertwined in recent years and not call them that at this point. They’ve both won national championships against one another. They’ve seen players leave one school to go to the other, with Maurice Smith doing so during Smart’s first season in Athens.

The two teams aren’t scheduled to play each other during the 2023 season. Perhaps the impending schedule changes from the SEC will get these two teams on the field more often. Otherwise, we’ll have to wait for a potential SEC championship or College Football Playoff game to see what Marshall or Burton could possibly do against their old team.

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