"Bro will regret this one": Fans react to Isaiah Horton leaving Miami to join Kalen DeBoer's Alabama squad
Transfers can be controversial and Isaiah Horton's move from Miami to Alabama has been no exception. The outstanding sophomore receiver completed a superb season with the Hurricanes, but committed to the Crimson Tide out of the transfer portal on Saturday. This move certainly stings for Miami fans.
Horton, a 6-foot-4 target who hails from Tennessee, delivered an impressive 2024 season with Miami. He caught 56 passes for 616 yards and five touchdowns. Horton had more catches than senior Jacolby George but finished behind George in yardage. Both were key players behind Xavier Restrepo in the Hurricane receiver corps.
A third-year sophomore, Horton will have two remaining seasons of eligibility. When he chose to join Kalen DeBoer's Alabama Crimson Tide fans on social media shared their opinions.
Miami fans fear Horton made a mistake in transferring.
Much of the reaction to Horton's transfer was not of a positive nature.
Some were even more direct about his choice, suggesting finances ruled the decision.
"Best of luck kid. Doesn't make sense from a football standpoint but at least you got paid," wrote one fan.
Still others pointed to personnel factors in being critical.
Until Alabama gets an actual QB, it's a bad idea for any receiver to commit there," said another fan.
On the other hand, others were very positive about his choice-- particularly fans of Alabama, some of whom noted that Horton was the name after Dr. Seuss's elephant, a cool connection for a team with the connection to the elephants over the years.
"He's an elephant. The prophecy has been fufilled," joked one fan, posting a cover of Horton Hears a who.
Others were more direct.
Horton's history
Horton was recruited extensively before his decision to go to Miami. Tennessee was in very early on Horton, making it a bit of a surprise that the talented receiver passed them over twice. While Alabama recruited Horton, 247sports indicates that he was not offered a scholarship.
In 2022, Horton played in just four games at Miami. By limiting this season, he was able to receive a redshirt season. In the four games played, he caught just one pass for six yards. Horton played a bigger role in 2023, catching 13 passes for 168 yards and one score.
But in the 2024 season, Horton blew up. Unlike Restrepo and George, he's a large target who can play outside and deliver big plays. Horton topped 100 yards in a Week 4 win over South Florida. He had touchdowns in four consecutive games around midseason and was generally reliable for the Hurricanes.
Meanwhile, things were up and down at Alabama. Kalen DeBoer's west-coast offense was expected to increase passing at Alabama. In fact, in DeBoer's first season, the returns were very much mixed. Outstanding freshman Ryan Williams and Washington transfer Germie Bernard are the only receivers who have topped 20 catches or 240 receiving yards.
QB Jalen Milroe has had an up-and-down season and is trying to decide whether he's entering the NFL Draft. Regardless, DeBoer is clearly seeking to add more receiver talent around Milroe. Picking up Horton is a significant part of the puzzle.
What do you think about Horton's move from Miami to Alabama? Weigh in below with your thoughts on his transfer decision!