The Crimson Tide get a proven, big-play back from NC State — and the timing couldn’t be clearer after a rough rushing year in Tuscaloosa.
Published: January 6, 2026 | Category: College Football
Alabama is turning to the transfer portal for help in the backfield. NC State running back Hollywood Smothers is transferring to the Crimson Tide, giving Alabama a new option at a position that never truly found a steady rhythm in 2025.
The move has been widely reported, with Yahoo Sports noting that Smothers arrives in Tuscaloosa after posting one of the more efficient seasons among high-usage backs.
What Alabama is getting in Smothers
Smothers brings production and flexibility. In 2025, he carried the ball 160 times for 939 yards and six touchdowns across 11 games, averaging just under six yards per rush before sitting out NC State’s bowl game ahead of entering the portal.
His résumé isn’t just ground-based, either. Smothers has been a consistent receiving threat out of the backfield, totaling 57 career catches for 453 yards and three touchdowns — the kind of dual-threat profile that can keep defenses honest on third downs and in tempo looks.
Smothers at a glance
- 2025: 160 carries, 939 yards, 6 TD (11 games)
- Career efficiency: about 6.0 yards per carry at NC State
- Receiving: 57 catches, 453 yards, 3 TD
- Experience: has also played at Oklahoma (appeared in four games in 2023)
Why this transfer matters right now
The headline question is simple: can Smothers help Alabama run the ball like Alabama again? Because in 2025, the Tide’s rushing attack was a clear pain point.
Alabama’s top returning rushers didn’t deliver the usual ground dominance fans expect in Tuscaloosa. Jam Miller led the team with 504 rushing yards, and both he and Daniel Hill averaged under four yards per carry. In total, Alabama rushed for 1,562 yards on 456 attempts — just 3.5 yards per carry — a bottom-tier mark nationally for a program built on physical control. (You can verify the team leaders and totals on ESPN’s Alabama stats page.)
Smothers doesn’t have to be a one-man fix — but he does offer something Alabama has badly needed: a back with a recent track record of turning routine carries into efficient gains, plus the ability to stay on the field when the offense shifts into pass-first situations.
How Smothers fits into Alabama’s 2026 backfield
Smothers walks into a room that has opportunity and pressure. Alabama is also bringing in elite talent, including highly regarded in-state recruit Ezavier Crowell, giving the Tide a mix of immediate experience and long-term upside. That blend can be a good thing — it raises the baseline for the position group and creates real competition for snaps.
From a scheme standpoint, Smothers’ best path to early impact may come in two areas:
- Early-down efficiency: keeping the offense on schedule with 5–7 yard gains instead of stalled series.
- Passing-game value: receiving ability that forces linebackers to cover in space and helps the QB with check-down answers.
The big 2026 question: can Alabama’s run game flip fast?
Transfers don’t guarantee fixes — but they do signal priorities. Alabama’s move for Smothers reads like a direct response to last season’s rushing numbers, and it gives the Tide a proven, multi-tool option who can contribute immediately.
If Smothers’ efficiency carries over to SEC play, Alabama’s offense could look far more balanced in 2026 — and that alone can change how defenses line up, how games are managed late, and how comfortable the Tide feel in tight matchups.
Written by Swikriti Dandotia
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