Opportunities have been limited this season for Alabama kicker Graham Nicholson. The Miami (Oh.) transfer has attempted only four field goals in seven games, making two.
Nicholson is known for his accuracy on shorter kicks, but during Alabama’s loss to Tennessee on Saturday, he missed a 54-yard attempt, falling well short. On Monday, head coach Kalen DeBoer was asked if he might consider using Conor Talty, who handles kickoffs, for longer field goals.
“I have a lot of confidence in Conor,” DeBoer said. “I’ve seen him improve in practice and become more consistent since the spring. We were right on the edge of what Graham could handle with that kick. I thought about the wind and the direction, even though it was light, but ultimately, I went with my gut.”
DeBoer added, “The kick came up just short, but Graham had a solid swing. We have confidence in both guys, to be honest.”
Nicholson won the Lou Groza Award last season, beating out former Alabama kicker Will Reichard as the nation’s top kicker. He transferred to Alabama in the offseason after head coach Kalen DeBoer sought more consistency from the Tide’s kickers.
Nicholson’s transfer sparked controversy at Miami (Oh.), with head coach Chuck Martin accusing Alabama of tampering. “We didn’t lose him, he’s at Alabama,” Martin said in August. “Alabama illegally recruited our kicker and stole him. That’s a fact.”
Meanwhile, Conor Talty, who joined Alabama as a recruit last season, has handled kickoffs for the Tide in 2024.
Alabama will face Missouri this Saturday at 2:45 p.m. CT at Bryant-Denny Stadium, with the game airing on ABC.
