Nick Saban Dismisses 4 Alabama Players from Team After Criminal Charges

Four Alabama football players facing serious charges have been dismissed from the program by Nick Saban, according to Alex Scarborough of ESPN.com's TideNation.

Scarborough tweeted on Wednesday:

"

All four charged Bama football players (E. Williams, DJ Pettway, Tyler Hayes, Brent Calloway) have been dismissed from the team, per Saban.

— Alex Scarborough (@AlexS_ESPN) February 27, 2013"

Freshman safety Eddie Williams, redshirt freshman D.J. Pettway, freshman linebacker Tyler Hayes and redshirt freshman Brent Calloway are no longer with the Crimson Tide.

According to AL.com, Williams, Pettway and Hayes are charged with second-degree robbery after allegedly attacking and robbing two University of Alabama students on Feb. 11. Calloway faces one count of fraudulent use of a credit card. Williams was also arrested Sunday for gun possession without a license.

After their third championship in four years, this is the last thing the Crimson Tide need. You have to give credit to Saban for doing the right thing when there is so much pressure to win in Tuscaloosa every year.

Hayes played sparingly in 13 games and registered 14 tackles in 2012. Pettway recorded four tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Calloway recorded eight tackles on special teams and rushed 10 times for 63 yards. Williams didn't play in 2012.

This was Calloway's second scrape with the law after being charged with second-degree marijuana possession in October 2011 (per AL.com).

It appears Saban has chosen to move on without these players, sacrificing some talent on the field but upholding the reputation of the university. While the four young men didn't play much in 2012, they certainly had potential. Williams is a former 5-star recruit.

College football has taken its fair share of abuse for doing the wrong thing behind the scenes throughout the years. It's good to know programs like Alabama don't try to sweep things under the rug.