Alabama football head coach Kalen DeBoer is entering a situation unlike any other. He must replace one of the greatest coaches of all time, take over a legendary program and maintain his prior successes.
Last season, DeBoer took Washington to the national championship, but fell short of winning it. He had some high-quality, impressive wins along the way.
Crimson Tide fans have grown accustomed to one thing under Nick Saban: winning.
Whether on the recruiting trail or on the field, Saban has led the Alabama program to countless wins, some aren’t even quantifiable. DeBoer has been tasked with not just maintaining what Saban built, but to improve upon it.
ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg recently ranked DeBoer as the coach with the most to prove heading into the 2024 season.
“DeBoer just took Washington to the national title game in only his second year — two seasons after the team went 4-8 — so this designation feels a bit unfair, but so are Alabama’s expectations after Nick Saban’s historic tenure. If the College Football Playoff remained at four teams, DeBoer could miss them during a transition year and be given somewhat of a pass. But Alabama expects to be part of the 12-team field every year, and if DeBoer falls short, the pressure and comparisons to Saban will reach nauseating levels in Tuscaloosa.”
There’s no doubt that DeBoer understands and appreciates the unprecedented position he finds himself in. However, it is all about how he responds to it. Unfortunately, we will not have an answer to that until the start of the 2024 season.
Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama football as the 2024 offseason progresses.
Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM.