- - Transfer portal: Former NC State RB Hollywood Smothers flips from Alabama to Texas

Nick Bromberg January 12, 2026 at 3:42 AM

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Hollywood Smothers is not going to Alabama.

The former NC State running back committed to the Crimson Tide days ago. Sunday, he flipped that commitment to Texas, according to On3.

It’s a major coup for the Longhorns, as they’ve now added two significant transfers at running back. Not long after Smothers had committed to Alabama, Texas secured a commitment from Arizona State RB Raleek Brown.

Smothers rushed for 939 yards and six touchdowns on just 160 carries in 2025. Across his NC State career, he averaged six yards per carry over two seasons and also grabbed 57 passes for 453 yards and three touchdowns.

Brown rushed 186 times for 1,141 yards and four scores in 2025 in his second season at Arizona State.

Both Texas and Alabama entered the offseason needing to upgrade their run games. Texas has clearly done that while Alabama is now still searching for answers. The Crimson Tide’s leading rusher in 2025 was Jam Miller. He had just 504 yards, while Daniel Hill, the team’s second-leading rusher, had fewer than 300 yards rushing as Alabama averaged just 3.5 yards per carry.

Texas averaged 4.2 yards per carry in 2025 and Tre Wisner and CJ Baxter both entered the transfer portal at the end of the season.

Brown and Smothers could form one of the best rushing duos in the country in 2026 as Texas loads up for a College Football Playoff run with Arch Manning. The Longhorns also got a commitment from former Auburn receiver Cam Coleman on Sunday. Coleman was seen as the best wide receiver in the transfer portal.

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Source: “AOL Sports”