Miami (OH) forward Graham Nicholson was traded to Alabama this summer. Miami (OH) head coach Chuck Martin apparently still isn’t happy with how it went.
During an interview with Terry Bridge of Miami Sports Network on Wednesday, Martin was asked about Nicholson’s departure, specifically how he “lost his scorer.” Martin quickly responded by accusing the Crimson Tide of stealing his scorer and complaining that no one seemed willing to talk about it.
Martin seemed quite angry as soon as he started speaking:
Martin’s full answer:
“We didn’t lose him, he’s at Alabama. We know exactly where he is. Again, you media, this is a hoax. No, Alabama stole our kicker. They illegally recruited our kicker and stole him and that’s a fact, but we act like they didn’t. We live in this fantasy world, like, ‘Hey, let’s not talk,’ I don’t know why. Everybody knows what’s going on, so yeah, Alabama stole our kicker. A couple of other schools tried to steal him, but then they… OK, what was the question?”
A day later, the question reached Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer. His answer:
“I don’t know anything about that comment. He entered the portal and we contacted him. That’s how it happens, right? So we did everything we were supposed to do.”
Nicholson was indeed a bad player for Miami to lose, and a significant win for Alabama in its first offseason under DeBoer.
The 21-year-old won the Lou Groza Award for leading the nation in scoring last season, shooting 27 of 28 from the field and 35 of 37 from extra point range, including a 52-yard field goal. He will replace Will Reichard, a five-year starter under Nick Saban who won the SEC’s special teams player of the year last season and is the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer.
Under normal circumstances, a kicker transferring from Miami (OH) to Alabama for his senior year wouldn’t really be considered suspect. Group of Five All-Americans often transfer to big-time programs, especially ones with a gaping hole at the position.
Martin’s comments suggest there may have been more going on behind the scenes, but at the same time, saying another program “stole” its player is a thin term, given that theft, by definition, makes the object property. And as we’re learning in the modern era of NIL, athletes are perfectly capable of acting on their own.