Alabama Crimson Tide football enters a new era as legendary head coach Nick Saban enters retirement and former Washington Huskies head coach Kalen DeBoer takes over in Tuscaloosa. Though he was a top coach in 2023, there are questions about how he will perform under the pressure of immediately succeeding Saban.
As odd as it may sound, 2024 may be the perfect time for DeBoer to take over in Tuscaloosa. As the program undergoes a massive shift, so does the rest of college football. Major conference realignment takes effect, the College Football Playoff is expanded and there’s still much uncertainty regarding name, image, likeness and the transfer portal.
DeBoer joins the Crimson Tide fresh off of a national title appearance in 2023, which followed an impressive conference championship run and a Sugar Bowl win over the newest members of the SEC, the Texas Longhorns.
In the latest college football head coach rankings by College Sports Wire‘s Patrick Conn, DeBoer ranks No. 7 on a list of the top-12 coaches from across the nation.
“It is never easy following a legend like Nick Saban but for the Alabama Crimson Tide they could have done much worse than Kalen DeBoer. A man who has won everywhere he has gone. He won three NAIA championships and had an impressive run at Washington with a roster in turmoil before his arrival. He won two Pac-12 titles and led the Huskies to a national championship berth. Now he takes over a Crimson Tide team that was bounced in the CFP Semifinals last season. With plenty of talent around him, this team should ready for another deep run in the expanded playoff.”
DeBoer has done an exceptional job with roster management, recruiting and the transfer portal in the few months at the program’s helm. Now, all that’s left for him to do is reassure Alabama fans that the team will pick up right where it left off under Saban by making the College Football Playoffs and be in contention to compete for a national championship.
Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama football news as the 2024 offseason progresses.
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