‘ We don’t tamper with anybody’: Saban addresses accusations

HOOVER, Ala. – With the transfer portal creating free agency of sorts in college football, discussions of whether tampering has been involved have been prevalent.

Recently, Louisville coach Scott Satterfield told 247Sports he believes tampering occurred with receiver Tyler Harrell, who announced this spring he would be transferring to Alabama. But there’s not much Satterfield said he can prove.

Alabama football coach Nick Saban was asked about those comments Wednesday ahead of playing in the Regions Tradition Pro- Am at Greystone Golf and Country Club.

“We don’t tamper with anybody,” Saban said. “I don’t know of anything or anybody that tampered with him. I don’t really know that anybody has tampered with our players. I just think that sometimes when things happen, it makes you wonder. I’m not making any accusations against anybody that has done anything with our players, and I don’t have any knowledge of anybody that has done anything with anybody else’s players.”

Teams aren’t permitted to contact a player until he enters his name in the transfer portal.

Alabama has added five transfers: Harrell, Georgia’s Jermaine Burton, Georgia Tech’s Jahmyr Gibbs, LSU’s Eli Ricks and Vanderbilt’s Tyler Steen. Meanwhile, 26 Crimson Tide players, scholarship and walkons have entered the portal.