Miami (OH) coach: Alabama 'illegally recruited our kicker and stole him'

Miami (Ohio) head coach Chuck Martin sounded off Thursday on losing star kicker Graham Nicholson to Alabama.

"We didn't lose him. He's at Alabama. We know exactly where he's at," Martin said when asked about losing Nicholson in the transfer portal. "Again, you media people - it's all pretend. Like, no. Alabama stole our kicker. They illegally recruited our kicker and stole him from us. That's a fact."

After winning the Lou Groza Award as the best kicker in college football last season, Nicholson entered the transfer portal in December. He pulled his name out of the portal in February before later re-entering in April, per 247 Sports. Nicholson then joined Alabama that same month.

"We live in this la la world like, 'Hey, let's not talk reality,'" Martin said. "I don't know why. Everybody knows what's going on. Alabama stole our kicker. A couple other schools tried to steal him."

Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer responded to Martin's comments.

"He entered the portal, and we reached out to him. So, that's how it goes, right?" DeBoer said, per On3sports. "We did everything that we were supposed to."

Nicholson nailed 27 of 28 field goals for a 96.4% hit rate with the RedHawks last year. He also set an NCAA record by connecting on 25 straight attempts.

The 21-year-old Nicholson spent three seasons at Miami (Ohio). He hit 60 of 71 field goals, the highest success rate from a kicker in program history.

Nicholson was named on the Associated Press preseason All-America team Tuesday.