Miami (Ohio) head football coach Chuck Martin is upset with the Alabama Crimson Tide, accusing them of illegally recruiting and taking his kicker.
During an interview with reporter Jed DeMuesy, which was shared online Thursday, Martin did not hold back when discussing the RedHawks’ special teams. DeMuesy mentioned that the team had “lost” their kicker, but Martin quickly corrected him.
“We didn’t lose him, he’s at Alabama,” Martin said emphatically. “We know exactly where he’s at… Alabama stole our kicker. They illegally recruited our kicker and stole him from us. That’s a fact.”
The kicker in question, Graham Nicholson, had a standout season last year, winning the Lou Groza Award as the best kicker in college football.
Nicholson made 26 of 27 field goals (96.3 percent) and 35 of 36 extra points (97.2 percent). Despite his success, Nicholson entered the transfer portal in the spring and committed to Alabama in April.
Alabama’s new head coach, Kalen DeBoer, was asked about Martin’s allegations and played it off, claiming that Alabama simply reached out to a player who had already entered the transfer portal.
The situation underscores the ongoing challenges faced by mid-major programs like Miami (Ohio) when competing against powerhouse teams with far greater resources.
