For Alabama, the old expectations never really went away. They just needed a coach willing to own them.
After two seasons of questions about whether Kalen DeBoer could carry forward the standard Nick Saban built in Tuscaloosa, the early signs in Year 3 suggest he may have finally locked it in. The Crimson Tide are showing the kind of edge, urgency and accountability that have long defined the program, and DeBoer appears to have a better read now on which players fit that mold.
It helps when a locker room starts to settle. DeBoer needed time to identify his core group, and now that he knows who his “guys” are, the confidence around the program has sharpened. Alabama is leaning back into the familiar identity that has made the Tide a force for so long.
Cornerback and captain Zabien Brown put it plainly Tuesday morning: "We're Bama, that's what we expect from everybody," Brown told reporters on Tuesday morning. "We're everybody's Super Bowl, and we expect to get everybody's best shot. We want nothing less.
That attitude matters even more with Florida State looming. The Seminoles stunned Alabama 31-17 in the first week of the 2025 season, and that loss has not been forgotten. DeBoer made clear the rematch has been on the calendar for a while.
“In our minds, this is the 2026 team,” DeBoer said. “But I know there’s a lot of guys, including our staff, that certainly know what it felt like last year walking off that football field.”
That kind of memory can fuel a team, and Alabama looks like a group that wants to use it. DeBoer has already spent time last season reminding his players how things went in Tallahassee, keeping that frustration close enough to matter.
Through just two weeks, the difference is noticeable. The roster has a sharper edge than it showed in the previous two seasons, and the Tide are starting to resemble the hard-edged teams that made the Saban era so relentless. The players are bringing the passion, and the coaches are demanding the standard that comes with the Alabama brand.
That brand took a hit in the preseason, when Alabama opened ranked 13th - the first time in 20 years the Tide were outside the top 10 before the season began. But after the win over Kentucky, Alabama is back in the top 10, and the noise around the program has shifted quickly.
The bigger point is simple: the Bama Standard never left Tuscaloosa. It may just be that DeBoer has now figured out how to make it his own.
In Other News...
Alabama Just Entered A Tough Fight For A Hometown Commit
Alabamas 2027 recruiting class is already taking shape, but it has been built with a different priority than some of the programs heavier years. The class currently stands at 14 commitments, and the Tide have been operating with a smaller, less expensive group while putting more of their attention on keeping the current roster intact.
Even so, the staff is still reaching into the 2027 board when the fit makes sense, and that includes a new scholarship offer to 3-star defensive lineman Joshua Lane, a Memphis product who is committed to the hometown program. Lane has also picked up several other Power Four offers, which puts Alabama into a competition it will have to work for if it wants to pull him away, even as the Tide appear poised to turn up the pressure on the already promising 2028 class. [Read more 🡒]
Aden Holloway Praise Just Made Alabama's Biggest Basketball Question Even Bigger
Aden Holloway already had the kind of reputation that travels quickly inside a program, and now it is getting an even brighter spotlight from someone who saw him up close. Former Alabama guard Houston Mallette drew a striking comparison to Kyrie Irving while talking about Holloways feel for the game, his joy in playing and the way he processes things so quickly on the floor. For a Crimson Tide team that has seen Holloway flash plenty of talent, that kind of praise only reinforces why his next chapter still carries real intrigue.
The bigger question, of course, is not whether Holloway has ability. His junior season ended early after an arrest, and he is now working through a second-chance program while his reinstatement to the team remains pending. Mallettes confidence in Holloways work ethic and upside adds another layer to a situation Alabama is still waiting to resolve, with the potential reward obvious if the off-court piece falls into place. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas New Look Under Ryan Grubb Could Fix A Big Problem
Alabamas offense has taken on a different shape early in the 2026 season, and one of the clearest changes has been the heavier use of multiple tight ends. The Crimson Tide deployed those sets on 41 plays against East Carolina and 25 more against Kentucky, a notable shift under offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, whose recent stops have not leaned this heavily on the position. It has given Alabama a more layered look and, more importantly, a clearer identity in the run game.
The biggest payoff has shown up on the ground, where the extra tight end has helped create more favorable rushing looks for the backs. Alabama running backs are averaging 5.7 yards per carry out of multiple-tight-end formations this season, a sign that the adjustment is doing more than changing personnel groupings on paper. For a team looking to solve a persistent offensive problem, the real question now is how far Grubb is willing to take the new package and what it might unlock next. [Read more 🡒]