In the era of CFB, it is evident that athletes can act independently. So, the transfer of the kicker, Graham Nicholson, from Miami (OH) to Alabama for his senior year wouldn’t exactly be seen as suspicious. On this spot, the head coach of Miami, Chuck Martin, is complaining that no one wants to talk about this fact as he believes, “Alabama stole our kicker. They illegally recruited our kicker.“ Such salty comments heat the fans and followers of Alabama.

However, Martin’s word suggests that there might be more behind the scenes. At the same time, using the phrase “stole” not only makes the star athlete a piece of property but also questions the recruitment process of a top-rated program like Alabama and its head coach, Kalen DeBoer. For the fans, it was hard to digest that out of all the jabs, someone hit Alabama with stealing charges.

Alabama fans as DeBoer’s back-up 

On August 22, 2024, in response to the allegation of the Miami University Coach, a fan shared a post on his X account with the caption, “The kicker is getting a chance to play on the biggest stage and enhance his NFL dreams“. It seems like fans are hopeful for a significant win for Alabama in its first offseason under DeBoer because everyone is pretty much aware of the potential and caliber of the 21-year-old Lou Groza Award winner. Along with that, the nation’s top kicker is capable of beating Alabama’s Will Reichard. Will earned SEC Special Teams Player of the Year and the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer.

The most intriguing fact is that transferring to big-time programs is very natural for any star athlete and so for Nicholson. On this note, DeBoer said, “He went into the portal and we reached out to him,“. Along with that, he mentioned, “He’s great to have with us. The team has really accepted him. I think he feels a part of it. Honestly, all of our kickers have, but specifically with Graham… I like his mindset. He’s a very confident guy.” Although Graham’s exit left shocked his coach as they lost their most consistent kicker. To handle the situation and protect DeBoer, Alabama fans are raising their voices. 

DeBoer’s bold response along with fans

DeBoer was very straightforward towards the accusation of Chuck; he stated, “I don’t know anything about that, that comment.“ Additionally, he said “We did everything that we were supposed to“, describing the process of recruitment. 

One fan mentioned, “A small school coach should be happy one of his players gets to move on to a dynasty and live his dream. Idk weird,” It reflects that the transfer of Graham is a very common scenario for Alabama fans.

Another fan commented to empathize with the situation, “I understand why the coach is upset but this happens in the business world every single day. High performer takes job at a better-paying, bigger organization. This is a success story, not a negative one.”

Additionally, to mention the upcoming championship of CFB, a fan commented “Oh Chuck, welcome to CFB in 2024 buddy“. It seems like Miami needs to concentrate on their game.

Lastly, a fan expressed his disappointment, “Wow, Miami is really more worried about themselves than their players giving themselves better opportunities. Sad but not surprised. I won’t be ashamed to bet against you every game.“

Currently, Graham is preparing for his Alabama debut as a kick-off against Western Kentucky. Let’s wait and watch. Maybe his performance will be the best answer to such an allegation.