Alabama sees transfer RB flip commitment to Texas
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Alabama appeared poised to bring Hollywood Smothers back to the SEC after the former Oklahoma and NC State running back committed to the Crimson Tide out of the transfer portal. On Sunday, though, those plans changed.
Smothers has now reversed course and flipped his commitment to Texas, according to On3’s Hayes Fawcett. He becomes the 13th transfer pledge of the cycle for the Longhorns.
Smothers, one of the most sought-after running backs in the portal, is coming off a season at NC State where he ran for 939 yards and six touchdowns. He was the sixth-leading rusher in the ACC and led the conference in yards per game with 85.4. He also made 37 catches for 189 yards and a touchdown. In 2024, he had 89 carries for 571 yards and six touchdowns.
His college career began in the SEC as he was a member of Oklahoma’s recruiting class in 2023. He then recorded 42 yards in four games while redshirting his initial season with the Sooners.
Now, he’ll make his return to the conference as a member of the Longhorns, who have landed their second big portal acquisition of the day. Earlier on Sunday, former Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman announced on Instagram that he had committed to Texas.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
