According to Rivals.com, Alabama has finally agreed to a full release of defensive back Maurice Smith. As a graduate transfer, Smith should be eligible to transfer and play anywhere immediately.
Smith will still need approval from the SEC in order to transfer within the conference.
The entire fiasco erupted last week when it was found that that Smith was being denied a transfer to Georgia. Even after Smith's mother traveled from Houston to talk to Alabama head coach Nick Saban, an agreement could not be reached on the release of Smith from his scholarship.
RELATED: Paul Finebaum uncharacteristically slams Nick Saban over the Maurice Smith fiasco
"I believe it was something that was just as simple as a transfer," Smith said on the ordeal. "But now it's kind of transpired into something far greater, and a lot of bad things have been coming out of this. It's just very disappointing because I never meant to hurt anyone."
The situation saw a lot of laundry being aired over public airwaves. Among other things, Smith claimed that the Crimson Tide threw his personal belongings away, and that Saban even walked out on the meeting with his mother.
Overall, Alabama came off looking worse in this situation, and there was absolutely no reason for it. Smith had completed his graduation requirements, and Alabama should not have pushed back so hard on his transfer. Even if this is generally SEC policy, they should have left it to the SEC instead of pushing back so hard themselves.
