Kalen DeBoer doesn’t have to worry about his job security in 2026. The contract extension he got this offseason, along with the bigger buyout that came with it, makes that part of the conversation pretty simple: he’s staying put.
The real issue in Alabama isn’t whether DeBoer is getting fired. It’s whether year 3 starts to look like proof that the program is moving in the right direction.
That’s the bar now. Alabama doesn’t need a national title this season to make people feel good about where things are headed, but it does need something more concrete than hope.
A clean, convincing step forward would go a long way. And if the Crimson Tide are going to be a real College Football Playoff threat in 2026, the path probably starts with a fast beginning.
The schedule gives Alabama a chance to settle in early. East Carolina, Kentucky, Florida State, South Carolina, and Mississippi State make up the first five games. Then comes the kind of run that can wreck a season in a hurry: Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and LSU.
That’s why an early stumble would sting so badly. DeBoer has already shown a tendency to let teams slip away in games Alabama should win, and that makes Week 2 against Kentucky feel more dangerous than it might have a month ago.
Because now the Wildcats have a new coach with no shortage of belief.
Will Stein is heading into his first season at Kentucky with a major roster overhaul already in motion, and he’s not hiding from the moment. His team opens with Youngstown State, but the real spotlight comes the next week when Alabama comes to Lexington. Stein knows exactly what that kind of win would mean.
He also made clear he has no problem sounding bold about it:
NEW: Kentucky head coach Will Stein on why the Wildcats will win big in Lexington:
"Because of me, to be honest. Because of me."
(h/t @AdamLuckettKSR) https://t.co/7DUm810XUD pic.twitter.com/FUzsuzygSr
- On3 (@On3) July 20, 2026
Kentucky’s offense will be built around dual-threat quarterback Kenny Minchey, the Notre Dame transfer who was a 4-star recruit in the 2023 recruiting class. With Stein installing his own players and ideas, the Wildcats are clearly aiming to make an early statement.
And Alabama can’t treat this like a routine stop on the calendar. That’s where DeBoer’s first two seasons have created the warning sign.
In his debut year, Alabama beat Georgia in Tuscaloosa and then gave it right back the next week with a loss at Vanderbilt. Last season, the Tide opened with a road loss to Florida State, a result that made the follow-up game feel even more important.
If Alabama gets caught looking ahead again, Kentucky is capable of making it painful.
For Stein, that would be the kind of arrival moment a new coach dreams about. For DeBoer, it could be the kind of loss that turns a season’s early optimism into another round of uncomfortable questions from Tide fans who are still waiting to see what this era is really going to become.
In Other News...
Greg Sankey Just Sent Alabama A Serious Playoff Warning
At SEC Media Days, Greg Sankey made it clear the league is not lining up behind a bigger College Football Playoff just because the conversation is getting louder. The SEC commissioner pushed back on the 24-team idea, pointing to the calendar and to the basic challenge of making sure access still works for everyone, while also suggesting the people shaping the format may not fully grasp how the SEC schedule is built.
For Alabama, the more important part is that this is not a tidy, united conference position. Some SEC voices have been open to expansion, others have been resistant, and Sankey acknowledged the leagues frustrations are real. He also said his recent conversation with College Football Playoff staff did not leave him satisfied, which only adds to the sense that the next round of playoff talks could get messy fast. [Read more 🡒]
Aden Holloway Just Cleared Another Step Toward Alabama Return
Aden Holloway has taken another step toward getting his Alabama career back on track after reaching a plea agreement tied to felony charges from a marijuana possession arrest. The deal allows him to enter a second chance program with probation and community service, and it comes after his ban from campus was lifted in early April.
Holloway has already returned to practice with the Crimson Tide this summer, but his path back is still not fully complete. He must satisfy requirements from the court, the university and the basketball program before he is fully cleared, and he intends to reenroll at Alabama this fall. [Read more 🡒]
John Mateer Finally Addressed What Alabama Forced Him To Relive
John Mateer spent part of his first season at Oklahoma replaying the kind of mistake quarterbacks do not get to forget, and Alabama was at the center of it. In a year that ended with the Sooners at 10-3 and in the College Football Playoff for the first time, the quarterback said he had to absorb the frustration of a costly interception against the Crimson Tide while also pushing through a season that asked plenty of him.
Mateer also had to handle a quick return from hand surgery before facing Texas, another reminder of how much he was juggling down the stretch. He acknowledged the rough patches while still sounding focused on what comes next, and for Oklahoma, the bigger question is how much those lessons can shape a quarterback who already knows the standard is only going up. [Read more 🡒]