Earl Little Jr. has wild take comparing Ohio State culture to Alabama

Earl Little Jr. has been around. Two seasons at Alabama under Nick Saban, two more at Florida State, and now he has landed in Columbus. He says he found something at Ohio State that he had never experienced before. His comments this spring are already making noise.

Little's comments put the spotlight back on post-Saban Alabama

 "At Alabama, we didn't compete in the weight room how we do here. Literally with everything you're doing at Ohio State, you're gonna compete and you have to be your best every single day." Little said.

That's a pointed thing to say, and fans have already taken notice. He was in Tuscaloosa in 2022 and 2023, not under Kalen DeBoer. So the shot lands on Nick Saban's Alabama specifically. Whether it's true or just portal-era enthusiasm is a fair debate.

James Smith, a defensive tackle and another Alabama transfer now at Ohio State, said something similar about the program. He reportedly said the Buckeyes reminded him of Saban-era intensity from his freshman year in Tuscaloosa.

That complicates the shot a little bit. Maybe the standard slipped toward the end of Saban's run, or maybe both guys are just fired up about Columbus and saying the right things about the right team, because it's normal to praise their teams.

Little is expected to start this fall. Ryan Day flagged him as a spring standout already.

He has one season to back this up. If Little plays the way he talks, nobody is going to care what he said about Alabama.