There's no way to spin this. Alabama's Transfer Portal activity has been an outright disaster so far.
Just 20 minutes after Auburn transfer Cam Coleman committed to Texas over Alabama, the Crimson Tide's top portal commitment - NC State RB Hollywood Smothers - flipped his commitment to the Longhorns. And now Kalen DeBoer has a lot of egg on his face that won't be easy to wash away.
BREAKING: NC State transfer RB Hollywood Smothers has flipped his commitment from Alabama to Texas, his agents tell @On3sports
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 11, 2026
This season he totaled 1,128 yards and 7 TDs
He’s repped by @bnm_nil, @lawyerboycle , and @schmahulahttps://t.co/RlUbB6Fk7q https://t.co/U4bVDQfO66 pic.twitter.com/IS9zBiS5aV
It's all money-driven. And Alabama either doesn't have it - or isn't willing to spend it - at the same level that programs like Texas. And if that's the case, then you can forget about Alabama being a serious threat in the National Championship race anytime soon.
Cam Coleman and Hollywood Smothers deliver back-to-back blows to Kalen DeBoer, Alabama
Coleman may have always been a pipe dream for Alabama, but letting Smothers get away is a devastating blow to the Crimson Tide's ability to put together the portal class they needed.
There's still time to make some moves, but Alabama is on the verge of an underwhelming portal class for the second year in a row. DeBoer and GM Courtney Morgan are not doing a good enough job of adjusting to the new reality of college football.
Perhaps it's not their fault. Perhaps they just aren't being given the resources to compete in this era of college football. If that's the case, be prepared to adjust your expectations for Alabama football.
But they can do better than this.
Smothers committed to Alabama on his visit, but never signed. How they let him get away without signing is beyond me. And now, they watched as Steve Sarkisian and Texas stuffed them in a locker and showed what a program that is serious about winning is willing to do to improve their roster.
Alabama hasn't shown that willingness. And barring a frenetic finish, DeBoer and company are going to pull in a second consecutive portal class that just isn't good enough.
Alabama's performance in the portal so far has been just as damaging to its reputation as getting blown out in the Rose Bowl was. This one is just a slower, more methodical death. But a death nonetheless.