Alabama will have a competition for starting kicker in the fall.
Coach Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide have landed former Ole Miss kicker Andy Pappantos as a graduate transfer.
Pappantos, a alumnus of Trinity Presbyterian in Montgomery, Ala., was a two-way player at both kicker and safety.
He set an Alabama high school record with 48 made field goal, falling just two shy of the national record. His 279 career kicking points are third all-time in Alabama history.
The Kohl’s Kicking and MaxPreps U.S. Air Force All-American was redshirted in 2013, while playing in only two games in the following season. Pappantos made five of six extra points and kicked off five times for the Rebels in 2014.
Mississippi granted him a release in January, giving him two years of eligibility. Pappantos will compete with Adam Griffith for the starting job. Griffith, who decided to return for his senior year, made 23 of 32 kicks (71.9 percent) last season.
Depth is something the Crimson Tide lacks at kicker. Rising junior Gunnar Raborn stands behind Griffith and despite JK Scott’s ability to punt and kick, the junior will remain at punter.
Pappantos gives the team some time to locate a future kicker.
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @ESPN_Future.
