Nick Saban denies Alabama football violated NCAA rules in recruiting ex-Louisville Cardinals WR Tyler Harrell

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Alabama coach Nick Saban on Wednesday denied the implication that anyone from his team violated NCAA rules by recruiting former Louisville receiver Tyler Harrell before he entered the transfer portal in April.

Speaking to reporters at a golf event, Saban definitively, «We don't tamper with anybody.»

But that's what Louisville coach Scott Satterfield suggested to 247Sports in a story published last week. Satterfield said he believes tampering occurred with Harrell but that he couldn't prove it.

Harrell, who caught 18 passes for 532 yards and six touchdowns last season, entered the portal on April 12. Ten days later, he committed to Alabama.

«I don't know of anybody that tampered with him,» Saban said of Harrell. «You know, I don't really know that anybody's ever tampered with our players. I just think sometimes when things happen it makes you wonder. So I'm not making any accusations against anybody that's done anything to our players and I don't have any knowledge of anybody that's done anything with anybody else's players.»

Saban did acknowledge that it's difficult to control third parties «whether it's direct or indirect» from involving themselves in the recruiting process.

«But you know, when you have a guy leave your program and go someplace else the day after the game, I don't have any evidence that anything happened and I'm not making any accusations, but it makes you wonder, I guess,» he said. «But hopefully we have enough honesty and integrity out there amongst us professionally in our sport that people are going to abide by the rules.»

Saban has expressed caution in the past about the unintended consequences of the transfer portal and players earning money via name, image and likeness.

He said