I don't disagree at all. I never quit a team either and I, like you, played on a few bad ones.The tragedy of it is the kid isn't hurting Alabama as much as he's hurting himself. Sure, he's put a football team in a potential "bad" situation regarding a football game. By him quitting when he did he's laying seeds in his life that could grow "quitting" into his character. My dad raised me to finish what I started. I remember playing youth league football one season and hated the team and coach I played for. The coach had zero clue what he was doing, had a bunch of kids out there who didn't really care one way or the other. I wanted to quit. He told me "Son, you finish what you start. Even if it means doing something you don't want too." I have no doubt by him making me do that it instilled something into my character that helped me when I became an adult and had real problems.
But, in all fairness, it is different when it becomes about a potential career in the NFL.
I know he could've waited and lost the year to play, but when you're 19 or 20 and you've got your eye on the NFL, one year matters and it's a long time to wait.
Again, I'm not saying he did the right thing at the right time, but I can't compare my youth league experiences with his budding career choices.