Alabama’s first year under Kalen DeBoer gave the Crimson Tide some forward motion, but not enough to quiet the pressure that comes with the job. They got back to the College Football Playoff and the SEC Championship Game, only to run into Georgia and Indiana when the stage got biggest.
That’s the backdrop for Paul Finebaum’s latest read on the program. On “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning,” the ESPN voice made clear he still respects DeBoer’s résumé, but he’s not convinced the coach is the perfect fit in Tuscaloosa.
“I am not (out on Kalen DeBoer)," Finebaum said. "I've told you many times that I like him.
I think he's an elite coach. The only part of that that people don't like is I have questions about if he is the right coach at Alabama.
Some of that is the reputation of the man on the street. Some of that is my own opinion.
Some of that is a direct result of what we have seen here in two seasons."
Finebaum also laid out where he thinks Alabama is headed this season, and it’s a solid-but-not-elite finish by Crimson Tide standards.
"I look at Alabama and I land on 9-3," Finebaum said.
That would almost certainly leave Alabama outside the playoff picture, especially with Finebaum previously suggesting that Texas, Oklahoma and LSU could all be three-loss playoff teams without mentioning the Crimson Tide in that conversation.
The numbers from DeBoer’s first season show progress, but the bar in Tuscaloosa has never been about progress alone. Alabama beat Oklahoma 34-24 on the road in the first round of the playoff, then fell 38-3 to Indiana in the quarterfinals after losing 28-7 to Georgia in the SEC title game.
DeBoer has already shown he can win at a high level. He took Washington to the national championship game in 2023 before losing to Michigan. Even so, Alabama is a different kind of job, and Finebaum’s comments underscored that reality.
A 9-3 year would only sharpen the scrutiny entering DeBoer’s third season. At Alabama, getting close doesn’t carry much weight for long. The expectation is championships, and anything short of that keeps the conversation moving in the wrong direction.
In Other News...
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College football Saturdays in Alabama still carry a different kind of energy, one built as much on ritual as results. For Alabama fans, the day can start with the Walk of Champions and the Million Dollar Band setting the tone before the Crimson Tide take the field, while Auburn brings its own pageantry with Tiger Walk, the War Eagle flight and the familiar pull of Toomers Corner. Even before the games begin, the state turns the schedule into a full-day experience.
The calendar only sharpens that feeling, with Alabama set to open against East Carolina on Sept. 5 and Auburn lined up to face Baylor. Those kinds of matchups do more than fill a Saturday, they remind everyone why football in this state is treated like a season-long event rather than a few hours on television. College Weekly ranking Alabama No. 2 among states with the best football Saturdays only reinforces what locals already know: the atmosphere is the point, and the traditions keep it alive. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Fall Camp Is Turning Up Pressure At Several Key Spots
Fall camp is giving Alabama a better read on its young depth chart, and a pair of sophomores are right in the middle of it. Guard Mal Waldrep has been pushing for a bigger role on the offensive line, while running back AK Dear has been working his way into the mix as the backfield group takes shape. On the other side of the ball, linebacker Luke Metz is also in the hunt for playing time, and defensive coordinator Kane Wommack has already had reason to single him out for praise.
For a program that is always balancing immediate expectations with long-range roster planning, those are the kinds of developments that matter. Alabama also remains in good position with the 2028 recruiting class, where five-star defensive lineman Tyzon Swann reportedly has the Tide at the top of his list, and athletic director Greg Byrne added another update of note by announcing upgrades to Coleman Coliseums video board and sound system. The bigger question now is how much of this camp momentum turns into actual roles once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Fall Camp Is Revealing Who This Offense Cant Handle
Fall camp has given Alabama a clearer picture of where the offense is being pushed hardest, and the early answer keeps circling back to the defense. Ryan Grubb and Kane Wommack both pointed to a handful of players who have been making life difficult on that side of the ball, with Devan Thompkins, Yhonzae Pierre, Red Morgan and Bray Hubbard drawing attention for the way theyve challenged the offense in practice.
There has been some encouraging work on the other side too, with Wommack praising Ryan Coleman-Williams and noting progress from the running backs, tight ends and offensive line. Still, the real value of this stretch may come when Alabama gets into its upcoming scrimmage at Bryant-Denny Stadium, where the coaching staff will get a better read on which matchups are holding up and which ones are still giving the offense trouble. [Read more 🡒]