As Alabama gears up for its College Football Playoff showdown against Oklahoma, head coach Kalen DeBoer is making one thing crystal clear: his focus is locked in on the Crimson Tide - not on the coaching carousel swirling around him.
DeBoer’s name has popped up in recent weeks in connection with high-profile vacancies, most notably at Penn State and, more recently, Michigan following the dismissal of Sherrone Moore. But the Alabama head coach isn’t entertaining any of it. In a statement released Sunday, DeBoer addressed the Michigan chatter head-on and left no room for interpretation.
“My family and I are very happy in Tuscaloosa and remain extremely grateful for the support of President Mohler, Greg Byrne, the board and so many others,” DeBoer said. “We have an incredible opportunity in front of us, so my sole focus is on Alabama football and our preparations to play Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff.
I have not spoken and have no interest in speaking with anyone else about any other job. I am fully committed to this program and look forward to continuing as the head football coach at the University of Alabama.”
That’s as direct as it gets - no hedging, no vague language, just a firm commitment to the Crimson Tide.
Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne echoed that sentiment, backing his head coach with a strong public show of support.
“We are proud to have Coach DeBoer leading our football program at The University of Alabama,” Byrne wrote on social media. “He is an incredible coach and does an excellent job with the development of our student-athletes, both on and off the field. Just as he is committed to this team, we are committed to him, and we look forward to taking the field Friday in the first round of the College Football Playoff.”
— Yea Alabama (@yea_ala) December 14, 2025
It’s a timely vote of confidence and a reminder that Alabama’s leadership is all-in on DeBoer as the program’s future. And right now, the only future he’s thinking about is the one that kicks off Friday night.
Of course, in the high-stakes world of college football, speculation never truly sleeps. When a coach is as successful and respected as DeBoer, his name is going to come up - that’s just the nature of the business. But for now, with the biggest game of the season on deck, the message from Tuscaloosa is unified and unwavering: DeBoer is staying put, and the Tide are rolling into the Playoff with their eyes on the prize.