It has not been a strong offseason thus far for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Outside of recruiting, in fact, it's been a downright disaster in Tuscaloosa. Player arrests, injuries and plenty of drama to go around, with no story bigger than that surrounding Jonathan Taylor.

A former Georgia Bulldog, Taylor joined the Alabama squad with hopes of turning to a new page in his career and putting his troubled past behind him. Instead, his run at Alabama has been cut short, just as it was in Athens. Taylor was arrested for criminal mischief and domestic violence earlier this week, not the first time he has been involved in a case in which the latter charge was at the forefront. This latest arrest has led Nick Saban, who has since stated he does not regret giving Taylor a second chance, to kick the defensive tackle off of the team.

Taylor's previous run-in with a domestic violence case came in 2014. It was his second charge in a similar vein and it led to him being removed from the Georgia Bulldogs team. It has become clear that in an era in which domestic violence is at the forefront of the sporting world's conscious, there is very little tolerance for such actions, as Saban has shown. The story, however, is far from over.

On Friday, the woman who had accused Taylor of the crime recanted her statement, which could help Taylor to avoid severe punishment. This is in spite of the fact that the victim had visible markings on her flesh, consistent with her original statement. According to al.com, the victim told police that she had lied in her original statement and was placed in county jail. She was released after posting bond.

As is the case any time domestic violence is brought up, there is no room to jump to conclusions or to bring forth further, unfounded accusations. That being said, this is a story that the sports world will be keeping a close eye on. In terms of football, this is a setback for Alabama but they will recover, as they always do. Jonathan Taylor may not, however, at least not fully. Having already run out of chances at two SEC programs, his major college football days may be numbered, but there is still a high chance that he gets an opportunity to play somehwere again, especially if he is fully exonerated in this case. Nonetheless, the surprising and mysteriousturn that this case has taken will continue to grab headlines, as it should. In a modern world in which the public is aware of a clear right and wrong when it comes to domestic violence, the Taylor situation is yet another case filled with gray area.

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About the author
Brendan Dzwierzynski
Originally from just outside of Chicago, IL, USA, Brendan is a at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS, USA. Brendan has a great deal of experience in broadcasting and journalism. He has won several awards for radio work, including the Best Sports Play-by-Play at the Columbia College Chicago High School Radio Awards, won during his senior year of high school. He currently serves as the FM Sports Director at KJHK-FM. In terms of writing, he currently writes for several publications, including VAVEL, RockChalkTalk.com (an SB Nation website), thewrestlinggame.com, as well as two personal blogs, titled Per audacia ad astra and Press Box Opinions (sports-only). Brendan is a fan of the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Cubs and White Sox, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Blackhawks and all teams at the University of Kansas.