At Alabama, Good Isn’t Good Enough: The DeBoer Question
By Rory Daniels
Kalen DeBoer’s two-year tenure at Alabama is a bit of a character test for college football fans. If you’re a glass-half-full type, he’s navigated heavy personnel losses and the near-impossible task of following the greatest coach of all time, all while still getting the Crimson Tide back into the playoff picture last season.
The glass-half-empty view would say that something just feels off in Tuscaloosa. The dominance that defined the Saban era has cooled, and teams that once feared being physically overmatched have instead landed a few body blows of their own. The aura around the program isn’t quite the same, and fairly or not, the murmurs have started about whether DeBoer is really the long-term solution.
So where does the truth lie? And more importantly, what does 2026 need to look like for DeBoer to prove he’s the right man for the job?
DeBoer finds improvement but still stumbles in playoffs
An 11-4 record in 2025 (7-1 in conference play) was certainly an improvement from DeBoer’s opening season, but upset losses to Florida State and Oklahoma before being comprehensively outclassed by National Champions Indiana will be the results that live longest in ‘Bama fans’ memories. It’s a feeling they haven’t had to sit with for over a decade.
Despite DeBoer being reunited with his offensive coordinator from Washington, Ryan Grubb, the unit took a step backwards statistically. Alabama averaged 29.5 points and 367.7 yards per game in 2025, compared with 33.8 points and 410.2 yards per game in 2024. The running game fell hard from 173.8 rushing yards per game and 4.6 yards per rush in 2024 to 104.1 yards per game and 3.4 yards per rush in 2025.
Some of that came late in the year with Ty Simpson dealing with injury and recurring drops from Ryan Coleman-Williams, who clearly suffered a sophomore slump from his electric first year. Grubb now has to prove it was the scheme, not just the stars, that made him so successful at Washington.
The Saban comparison and timeline
Following on from Coach Saban was always going to be an unenviable task, but DeBoer’s background outside the South already put him slightly on the back foot. The whispers were, did he understand what was needed to dominate the SEC? It’s fair to remember, though, that Saban’s record after two years was 19-8, not dissimilar to DeBoer’s 20-8. That comparison ignores the obvious: DeBoer inherited a juggernaut. Saban built one.
DeBoer had to contend with plenty of upheaval, with Saban commits jumping ship and the college football landscape evolving at a rate we’ve never seen before. The transfer portal, player payments, and expanded playoffs were likely all factors that accelerated Saban’s departure and hindered a smooth transition to DeBoer. Now, though, in year 3, this roster is built solely on DeBoer’s vision. Those excuses hold less and less weight heading into 2026.
What will define the 2026 season?
The biggest question mark is who will win the quarterback battle in Tuscaloosa. Will it be Austin Mack, the older carryover from DeBoer’s Washington days or the electric 5-star redshirt freshman Keelon Russell? His athleticism and playmaking ability make him a favourite in many fans’ eyes, but Mack’s familiarity with the system may give him an early edge. The biggest risk – letting Russell ride the bench again could result in him looking for an out in 2027.
That’s not the only aspect that will dictate the success of the passing game. Alabama’s most dependable receiving option, Germie Bernard, departs for the NFL, leaving the focus firmly on now junior, Ryan Coleman-Williams. The natural talent is abundantly clear, but ten drops, many in big moments, need to be cleaned up. That would allow him to recapture the 1st round buzz he enjoyed as a freshman. Outside of him, NC State transfer Noah Rogers and the inexperienced Lotzeir Brooks will provide the depth.
Perhaps the more pertinent question is, can Alabama find a way to reenergise its running game? Once the hallmark of Saban’s time as head coach, the rushing attack fell off a cliff in 2025. The Crimson Tide averaged 3.4 yards per rush as opposed to 4.6 yards in 2024, with the leading rusher, Jam Miller, managing just over 500 yards on the ground. Could it be redshirt sophomore Kevin Riley’s chance to become the lead back ahead of Daniel Hill?
One area with fewer question marks is the defensive playmakers. Yhonzae Pierre led the team with 9 sacks, six of them in the second half of the season as he began to show serious promise. He’s exactly the kind of edge presence Alabama needs to give SEC offenses a headache. He will be backed up by experience in the secondary. Bray Hubbard and Keon Sabb will be key leaders who should help the defense hit the ground running.
What will be considered a success in 2026?
Reaching the playoffs is the baseline in Year 3. In both previous seasons, Alabama have been firmly on the bubble, missing out in 2024 but landing the ninth seed in 2025. The task is further complicated by another strong field in the SEC. An Arch Manning-led Texas, LSU under the guidance of Lane Kiffin, and familiar foe Georgia are all ahead of the Crimson Tide in the betting for the conference title. While the SEC title is no longer a necessity for postseason football, DeBoer will be eager to land one sooner rather than later.
A playoff appearance is likely enough to keep DeBoer in his position, but he must avoid another crushing loss like the one Indiana inflicted upon them. Despite the general goodwill toward DeBoer from those in charge (contract extension talks remain ongoing), a non-playoff season will surely raise serious questions.
Verdict
DeBoer has the coaching ability to lead a program like Alabama. The question is whether he can withstand what comes with it. Playoff expansion has made life slightly less cutthroat for him. But the Tide need to avoid shock losses, blowout defeats, and slow starts. DeBoer needs to find his QB of the future with urgency, lean on the old Saban principles of solid trench play, running dominance and an iron-clad defense. It’s not Championship or bust for him, but it’s not far off.
Rory-Joe Daniels
COLLEGE FOOTBALL ANALYST
AS A LONG-SUFFERING CINCINNATI BENGALS FAN, RORY HAS FOLLOWED THE NFL FOR OVER 20 YEARS. HIS PASSION FOR THE DRAFT LED HIM TO GET ENTANGLED WITH COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND HE HAS BEEN WRITING ABOUT PROSPECTS AND THE CFB LANDSCAPE EVER SINCE.