On Thursday, Alabama head coach Nick Saban became rather candid when speaking about the transfer process.

These comments came in the wake of redshirt freshman QB Blake Barnett opting to transfer away from the program. Saban was talking to former Alabama signal-caller Greg McElroy during a radio show.

While Saban never mentioned Barnett by name, these not-so-subtle jabs were plainly evident:

“You never started a game when you were an undergraduate, right? Then started for two years and won a national championship. I played so long ago I don’t think anybody even knew you could transfer. I don’t think they knew anything about it. It’s one of those things where I think the culture has changed a little bit. There’s certain pride people have in competition. There’s certain things I was taught growing up about not quitting and seeing things through. I think if I’d come home and told my dad that I was going to quit the team, I think he’d have kicked me out of the house. I don’t think I’d have had a place to stay. A lot of times, you have to face your fears. Everybody has to face their fears. We all have anxieties about things. We all have little insecurities. But eventually, you have to face your fears if you’re going to be successful.”

These comments are very fascinating on a number of fronts, especially when Saban did a similar thing to Barnett — abruptly leaving his job as head coach of the Miami Dolphins in order to “transfer” to the same post in Tuscaloosa. USA Today’s “For The Win” already called Saban a hypocrite for this very reason.

Barnett didn’t see a path to starting now that freshman Jalen Hurts has taken full control of the offense, and Barnett’s seeking another opportunity to play at a different school.

That’s not so bad, is it?