Alabama denies accusation of ‘illegally recruiting’ kicker Graham Nicholson

Miami (Ohio) head coach Chuck Martin is accusing Alabama of “illegally” recruiting his former All-America placekicker Graham Nicholson, a charge that Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer denies.

Martin made the accusation after being asked in a video for the school website about “losing” his star kicker through the transfer portal. Nicholson, who won the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s top placekicker last season, is replacing Will Reichard at preseason No. 5 Alabama, which opens the season on Aug. 31 against Western Kentucky.

“We didn’t lose him,” Martin said. “He’s at Alabama. We know exactly where he’s at. You media people, it’s all pretend. Like, no, Alabama stole our kicker. They illegally recruited our kicker and stole him from us.

“That’s a fact. But we act like it’s not … We live in this la-la type world, like hey let’s not talk [reality]. I don’t know why, everyone knows what’s going on. Alabama stole our kicker. A couple of other schools tried to steal him.”

DeBoer said after practice Thursday that Alabama followed the proper protocols. “I mean, he entered the portal, and we reached out to him,” the Tide coach said. “That’s how that goes, right? So we did everything the way you’re supposed to.”

Nicholson made 27 of 28 field goals last season for the RedHawks and all but one of his 36 extra-point attempts. He’s the first Lou Groza Award winner from the Mid-American Conference.

Reichard set the FBS record for career points with 547 during his Alabama career.

In an unrelated case, Iowa suspended head coach Kirk Ferentz and wide receivers coach Jon Budmayr on Thursday for the No. 25 Hawkeyes’ opener against Illinois State on Aug. 31 over a violation while recruiting a player.

Ferentz and the school did not name the player whose recruitment was at issue. The Athletic, citing an unnamed source, reported it was starting quarterback Cade McNamara, who transferred from Michigan before the 2023 season.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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