Tim Keenan III didn’t mince words.
After Tuesday’s Senior Bowl practice in Mobile, the former Alabama defensive tackle stood on the field at Hancock Whitney Stadium and delivered a clear message to anyone questioning Kalen DeBoer: walk a mile in his shoes.
“You come in after Saban and try to do it,” Keenan said. “Everyone has this and that to say. The man did a great job in just two years.”
That’s not just lip service. Keenan played under both Nick Saban and Kalen DeBoer-two very different coaches, two very different eras. And while comparisons are inevitable when you're following a legend, Keenan made it clear that DeBoer deserves more credit than he’s getting.
Let’s be honest: taking over for Saban in Tuscaloosa is one of the most daunting jobs in college football history. The expectations aren’t just sky-high-they're national-title-or-bust. And in just his second season, DeBoer led Alabama to an 11-4 record, an SEC Championship Game appearance, and a College Football Playoff win before falling in the Rose Bowl to the eventual national champs.
That’s a strong resume. But the way the season ended-back-to-back blowout losses to Georgia and Indiana-left a sour taste for some fans.
Still, Keenan pushed back on the idea that the record tells the whole story.
“Of course coming behind Saban, he’s going to be held to that standard,” Keenan said. “But Coach DeBoer is great in his own way.
He got guys to go through a lot of adversity. The record doesn’t show the things we’ve been through and the things we overcame.”
And he’s not wrong. DeBoer’s 20-8 mark over two seasons includes big-time wins against ranked opponents-twice beating Georgia, taking down rivals LSU and Auburn in back-to-back years, and notching a key win over Tennessee.
Those are statement victories in the SEC gauntlet. But the lows have been real too-like the season-opening loss to Florida State in 2025 and a few games where Alabama came in as the favorite but left with a loss.
Now, heading into year three, DeBoer is at a crossroads. It’s a pivotal season-not just for him, but for the program’s identity in the post-Saban era.
“I don’t have a bad thing to say about Coach DeBoer at all,” said Keenan, who served as a captain in 2025. “I love him.
He was very good to me. A great leader.
Of course at the end of the day, he’s human. I was able to pick my coach up when he was able to pick me up.”
That kind of mutual respect between player and coach says a lot about DeBoer’s leadership. And it’s a sentiment echoed by tight end Josh Cuevas, who followed DeBoer from Washington to Alabama and is also suiting up at the Senior Bowl this week.
“Honestly, once everybody really buys in, I think Coach DeBoer does so much better with the support of the fans and the fan base,” Cuevas said. “He feeds off it so well.”
That buy-in could be the key. Because while DeBoer has already proven he can steer the Crimson Tide through some tough waters, the next step is turning potential into consistency-and silencing the doubts that come with following a legend.
Alabama opens its 2026 campaign on September 5 at Bryant-Denny Stadium against East Carolina. And while the countdown to kickoff is still months away, one thing is already clear: the players who’ve gone to battle for DeBoer have his back.