When Daylan “Hollywood” Smothers committed out of the transfer portal on January 5, Alabama thought it had solved a pressing problem in its RB room. But within days, that confidence collapsed. The NC State transfer flipped his commitment to Texas, and the possible reason why has ignited uncomfortable conversations inside Alabama circles. According to one former Tide LB, this was an internal failure that never should have happened.

“The truth regarding Hollywood Smothers is that whoever allowed him to leave campus without signing a formal NIL contract and only a ‘verbal’ commitment made a HUGE mistake,” Christian Miller said via The Miller’s Edge on X on January 11. “No way to sugarcoat it. Very uncharacteristic of Alabama, tbh. This staff has some serious ground to cover.”

The statement landed hard because it pointed directly at Alabama’s staff for letting control of the situation slip.

Hollywood Smothers committed to Alabama after a short visit and, according to sources, had already enrolled in classes. He was expected to move to Tuscaloosa that weekend. On the surface, it looked done. Underneath, the most important step was missing. He had not signed financial paperwork or a formal NIL agreement. That technical gap kept him available. Texas noticed and quickly capitalized on it. 

Steve Sarkisian’s staff moved quickly, got Hollywood Smothers to Austin, and closed the door Alabama left open. From a procedural standpoint, the flip was legal and clean. From a program standpoint, it was damaging. The North Carolina native visited Austin, committed, and became the first player to flip from Alabama in the 2026 transfer portal class. For a program that prides itself on operational sharpness, this loophole felt uncharacteristic.

The loss stings even more as Hollywood Smothers is ranked No. 27 overall in the On3 Industry Transfer Portal Rankings and the No. 2 RB available this cycle. He is coming off a productive redshirt sophomore season at NC State. Across 11 games, he totaled 939 rushing yards and six touchdowns, while adding 37 receptions for 189 yards and another score. His career average sits at 6.0 yards per carry, and he arrives in Austin with two years of eligibility remaining.

Alabama finished 15th in the SEC in rushing offense, averaging just 104.13 yards per game. Jam Miller carried the load, but the room behind him is young. Daniel Hill is a sophomore. Kevin Riley is a redshirt freshman. AK Dear is entering his second year. Ezavier Crowell is arriving from Jackson High School. Hollywood Smothers was supposed to stabilize that group immediately. Instead, Alabama is left explaining how a player enrolled in classes slipped away.

Texas, meanwhile, turns Alabama’s misstep into a roster win. The Longhorns are retooling after losing Tre Wisner and CJ Baxter to the portal. Wisner led Texas with 597 rushing yards across nine games, while Baxter added 196 yards in eight appearances. Hollywood Smothers joins former ASU RB Raleek Brown, who rushed for 1,141 yards and four touchdowns in 2025, and blue-chip freshman Derrek Cooper. And to make matters worse, this wasn’t the only blow Alabama took that day.

Alabama loses Cam Coleman to Texas too

Hollywood Smothers’ flip did not happen in isolation. Alabama’s Sunday first deteriorated when Hayes Fawcett reported that WR Cam Coleman chose Texas. The Alabama native was the most impactful player on Auburn’s 2025 roster and one of the most coveted transfer targets in the SEC. Alabama, Texas, and Texas Tech all hosted him. Texas won again.

Cam Coleman arrives in Austin after two productive but uneven seasons at Auburn. As a freshman in 2024, he posted 37 catches for 598 yards and eight touchdowns. In 2025, he improved his volume to 56 receptions and 708 yards, though his touchdowns dipped to five. Playing in a struggling offense, he never fully maximized his skill set. Now, he joins Arch Manning in Texas’ passing game and becomes the 11th Auburn player to transfer within the SEC this offseason.

For Alabama, the receiver situation is thin. Germie Bernard is headed to the NFL. The Tide return Ryan Williams, Rico Scott, Derek Meadows, and Lotzeir Brooks, and have added freshman Cederian Morgan. That group will need help. Alabama is expected to stay aggressive in the portal, especially after losing both Smothers and Coleman to the same rival. They also lost another top priority target in Eric Singleton Jr. 

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Despite the setbacks, Alabama still holds eight transfer portal commitments, including TE Josh Ford, LB Caleb Woodson, and DL Devan Thompkins. The class is still intact but execution remains a concern. Christian Miller’s words linger because they point to a simple truth. In today’s portal, mistakes are punished immediately, and rivals do not hesitate when opportunity appears.