Kalen DeBoer found the missing piece to his run game in the Transfer Portal

The Alabama Crimson Tide were underwhelming this season despite making the College Football Playoff as we saw the team lose 4 games. Alabama had all the elite weapons at wide receiver and a very talented quarterback in Ty Simpson, yet the offense was always a struggle. The biggest reason for Alabama's flaws in many ways was the Crimson Tide's struggles running the football.

Everyone watched the SEC Championship as Alabama finished with negative rushing yards against Georgia in a truly dominant showing by the Bulldogs. Alabama ran for 104.1 rushing yards per game which ranked 125th in the country, far below the Alabama standard.

Hollywood Smothers instantly helps solve Alabama's rushing issues

On Monday Night, Kalen DeBoer and his staff made a massive step toward fixing the rushing issues as Alabama landed a commitment from NC State star Hollywood Smothers.

Hollywood Smothers was one of the best players regardless of position to hit the open market this offseason, ranking 2nd in the Saturday Blitz Transfer Portal RB Rankings.

This season, Hollywood Smothers finished the season with 939 yards and 6 touchdowns on the ground while adding 189 yards and a touchdown as a receiver. The upside as a receiver will help Alabama a ton as Jam Miller departs after giving the quarterbacks a safety valve as a receiver.

As Alabama's offensive line struggled, Smothers' ability to pick up yards after contact is appealing as 614 of his 939 rushing yards came after contact. Smothers has great big play ability with 24 carries resulting in 10 yards or more this season.

Adding Hollywood Smothers to the offense gives Alabama an instant answer while also allowing the younger running backs to continue developing. Daniel Hill, Kevin Riley, and AK Dear all showed flashes this season, and will round out an impressive running back room heading into 2026.