Nick Saban released a statement confirming Blake Barnett's transfer less than an hour before arriving at a local Tuscaloosa restaurant for his weekly radio show.

The departing Alabama quarterback's name wasn't mentioned, but there was more than one reference to the unconventional midseason transfer.

It started when former Tide quarterback and the show's media guest Greg McElroy greeted Saban live on the air.

"How many years were you here before you played? Three years?" Saban said to McElroy. "I don't think you started a game when you were an undergraduate. Then started for two years and won a national championship."

McElroy responded only with "Some things are worth waiting for."

A few moments later, host Eli Gold said he didn't want to mention names, but asked about the current transfer landscape in college football. He asked Saban if it had become like free agency.

"It's one of those things where I think the culture has changed a little bit," Saban said. "I think there's a certain pride people have in competition. There's certain things that I was taught growing up about not quitting and seeing things through. I think if I would have come home and told my dad that I was going to quit the team, I think he would have kicked me out of the house. I don't think I'd have a place to stay."

Barnett is the third player to leave since August, joining receiver Daylon Charlot and defensive back Kendall Sheffield. All three arrived in the Class of 2015.

Saban said it wasn't a bad thing that players have more options than they did in the past. He doesn't think players knew they could transfer when he was a defensive back at Kent State in the 1970s.

"I think a lot of times you have to face your fears," Saban said. "I think everybody has to face their fears. We all have anxiety about things. We all have little insecurities, but eventually you have to face your fears if you want to be successful and everybody has some fear of failure."

Barnett arrived in January 2015 as one of the top-ranked quarterbacks in the country. Buzz about early playing time started before he made the cross-country move from California.

But after starting the USC game this season, Barnett lost the top job to true freshman Jalen Hurts.

"I think some of these young guys that have high expectations -- sometimes given to them through no fault of their own -- whether it's the media makes them the best quarterback or whatever, then the expectation is when they come to Alabama, they're going to have immediate success, they're going to be a starter and all that stuff," Saban said. "And when that doesn't happen, you start to fear the future. 'Am I going to fail in the future. Am I going to have an opportunity to make it in the future.'"

McElroy chimed in as well.

"I'd rather play one year here than four years anywhere else," the Alabama starter from 2009-10 said.

Saban wrapped up his comments with some more West Virginia wisdom.

"My dad used to always say 'The grass is always greener on top of the septic tank,'" Saban said. "So it always looks better someplace else. So you think, instead of facing your fears and really overcoming adversity and making yourself better through the competition, you go someplace else thinking it will be better there. But until you face your fears, you're always going to have some of those issues or problems."