FILE – Then-Miami (Ohio) kicker Graham Nicholson (98) looks on after kicking the game-winning field goal against Northwestern as Alec Bevelhimer holds the ball during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, in Evanston, Ill. (AP Photo/Matt Marton, File)
AP
Miami (Ohio) coach Chuck Martin accuses Alabama of “illegally” recruiting former All-America kicker Graham Nicholson, an allegation Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer denies.
Martin made the accusation after being asked in a video for the school’s website if he had “lost” his star kicker to the transfer portal. Nicholson, who won the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s best kicker last season, replaces 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 in Alabama. We know exactly where he is. You media people, you’re just pretending. No, Alabama stole our kicker. They illegally recruited our kicker and stole him from us.”
“That’s a fact. But we pretend it’s not so… We live in this la-la world, like, ‘Hey, let’s not talk about reality.’ I don’t know why, everybody knows what’s going on. Alabama stole our kicker. A couple of other schools tried to steal him.”
DeBoer said after Thursday’s practice that Alabama followed proper protocols.
“I mean, he went through the portal and we contacted him,” the Tide coach said. “That’s how it works, right? So we did everything the way it’s supposed to be done.”
In another case, Iowa on Thursday suspended head coach Kirk Ferentz and wide receivers coach Jon Budmayr, a Woodstock native, for the No. 25 Hawkeyes’ opener on Aug. 31 against Illinois State for a player recruiting violation.
Ferentz and the school did not disclose the name of the player being recruited. The Athletic reported, citing an unnamed source, that it was starting quarterback Cade McNamara, who transferred from Michigan before the 2023 season.
Nicholson made 27 of 28 field goals and all but one of his 36 extra point attempts for the RedHawks last season. He is the Mid-American Conference’s first Lou Groza Award winner.
Reichard set the FBS record with 547 points during his career at Alabama.
