Alabama Acquires Former Appalachian State, Tennessee Running Back

Alabama has added former Appalachian State running back Khalifa Keith from the transfer portal, per Bama247's Brett Greenberg. Keith will have two years of eligibility remaining.

Keith finished the 2025 season with just eight yards on three carries in six games for the Mountaineers.

Keith initially committed to Kentucky on July 4, 2022, but after visiting Tennessee two months later, he changed his mind and went to the Volunteers. Keith spent two years at Tennessee, compiling 21 carries for 400 yards and a touchdown in four games of the 2024 season and 24 yards on 11 carries in 2023.

Keith will likely be a depth piece with the Crimson Tide, as Alabama's running back room has a lot of options: Daniel Hill, AK Dear, Kevin Riley and incoming freshmen Ezavier Crowell and Traeshawn Brown.

The 6-foot-1, 235-pounder is an Alabama native, as he went to Parker High School in Birmingham. The former three-star recruit was ranked as the No. 613 prospect in the Class of 2023, the No. 42 running back and the No. 26 player in the state, per 247 Sports' composite rankings.

Keith is the first running back to join the Crimson Tide's transfer class. Former NC State running back Hollywood Smothers committed to Alabama on Jan. 6, but five days later, after visiting Texas, he committed to the Longhorns.

Keith is one of 20 incoming transfers for the Crimson Tide, joining former Oklahoma State tight end Josh Ford, former USC defensive lineman Devan Thompkins, former North Alabama punter Adam Watford, former Syracuse long snapper Ethan Stangle, former Mercer defensive back Carmelo O'Neal, former Michigan offensive linemen Kaden Strayhorn and Ty Haywood, former Virginia Tech linebacker Caleb Woodson, former Mississippi State defensive lineman Kedrick Bingley-Jones and former Marshall kicker Lorcan Quinn, former NC State wide receiver Noah Rogers, former Cal Poly offensive lineman Racin Delgatty, former Washington defensive lineman Caleb Smith, former Texas offensive lineman Nick Brooks, former Ole Miss offensive lineman Ethan Fields, former Oregon defensive lineman Terrance Green, former South Carolina edge rusher Desmond Umeozulu and former Mississippi State offensive lineman Jayvin James. Alabama also landed a preferred walk-on in Jacksonville State tight end Jaxon Shuttlesworth.

The transfer portal officially opened on Friday, Jan. 2, and closed on Jan. 16. The spring portal was eliminated in September and will no longer be an option for athletes.

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer spoke about the transfer class earlier this week in Mobile, Ala.

"I feel we addressed some areas that we either needed going into the portal numbers wise, and I think there’s some areas we really strongly upgraded, so I’m excited about that," DeBoer said. "I’m excited not just about what the skillset of these guys are that are coming in, but also who they are as people and the character. We have some guys who whether they were voted team captain last year or probably we’re going to be, I think we got those type of guys in at multiple positions.

"I’m really looking forward to getting back on campus and seeing them operate. I’ve heard great things as far as how they fit in and how they’ve mixed in with our current roster, and that’s what you’re really trying to make sure of. Yeah we’ve got to have the skill, but we also gotta have the chemistry."

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Alabama Acquires Former Appalachian State, Tennessee Running Back

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