1943 Alabama Informals football team

In February 1943, the United States Department of War announced they would take over both classroom space and athletic facilities at 271 colleges and universities to be utilized for the training of United States Army soldiers.[2][3] As part of the Department's order, only students under 18 years of age or those with 4-F draft classifications were permitted to compete in intercollegiate athletics.[2][3] At the time of the announcement, coach Thomas was quoted as saying:

"Army–Navy programs not figured at all in our plans for athletics next fall."[3]

As such, preparations continued towards fielding a team for the 1943 season. On March 8, spring practice commenced at Denny Stadium and 55 student-athletes reported the first day.[4] At that time coach Thomas acknowledged he did not know how many of his players would be eligible to play in the fall due to rules the prohibited active-duty servicemen playing intercollegiate football.[4] As they entered practice, only 15 lettermen returned to the squad from the 1942 team. These players included: Jack Aland, Johnny August, Bill Baughman, Andy Bires, Charley Compton, Ted Cook, Leon Fichman, Ted McKosky, Jim McWhorter, Norman Mosley, Mitchell Olenski, Kenny Reese, Lou Scales, John Staples and Don Whitmire.[4] Two weeks into the practices, coach Thomas held the first scrimmage of the spring on March 22.[5]

On March 26, Herbert Chapman, Billy DeWitt, James Grantham, Henry "Red" Jones, Jim McWhorter and Lou Scales became the first Alabama players to be called into active duty from the enlisted reserve corps.[6] As they were now enlisted as active servicemen, they were all ineligible to play in the fall for the Crimson Tide.[6] In June, the SEC developed a plan to allow its member schools to discontinue athletic teams due to the war efforts, but retain the overall structure of the conference.[7]

By August, the prospect of Alabama fielding a football team for the 1943 season was in doubt. On August 17, coach Thomas spoke to a civic group in Birmingham and stated he did not think the school would field a team in 1943 due to the unwillingness of the Army to change their policy that prohibited their cadets from participating in intercollegiate athletics.[8] On August 23, 1943, the University Physical Education and Athletics Committee officially canceled the 1943 season.[9][10] The decision was made at that time because only two Alabama players were available to compete on the squad.[10] As the season was canceled, coach Thomas spent his time leading war bond drives and serving as president of the Tuscaloosa Exchange Club during the time the season was originally scheduled.[11] The cancellation marked only the third time since 1892 that Alabama did not field a football team. The only other seasons the Crimson Tide did not field teams were in 1898 due to University policy that prohibited athletic teams from traveling off campus to compete and again in 1918 due to the effects of World War I.[9]

Although Alabama officially did not participate as part of the 1943 college football season, a team composed of 17-year old and draft deferred students was organized as the Alabama Informals in October 1943.[14][15] Not officially sanctioned by the University, the Informals were allowed to utilize both equipment and the facilities of the Crimson Tide.[16] The team was led by head coach Mitchell Olenski, and John Gresham and Al Alois served as assistant coaches.[16] At the time of its creation, the Alabama Informals squad was the second created by a SEC school forced to abandon their football team for the year after Vanderbilt.[17]

On December 10, 1943, SEC officials met in Nashville in an effort to bring a full football schedule back for the 1944 season.[27] In order to have enough students eligible to participate on a team, the SEC changed its eligibility restrictions to allow for any civilian to play as long as they had not played four years of college football or professionally.[27] At that time, Alabama along with Tennessee and Vanderbilt indicated they might reform their respective teams and resume conference play for the 1944 season.[27][28] On January 12, 1944, all SEC members, with the exceptions of Mississippi and Mississippi State, indicated their intent to field football teams the following fall.[29] On May 19, 1944, every SEC school with the exception of Vanderbilt (who fielded an informal team) agreed to play a full conference schedule the following fall.[30] Football officially returned to Alabama for the first time since the 1942 season on September 30, 1944, when the Crimson Tide played LSU to a tie in their season opener.[31][32]