Alabama locked in Kalen DeBoer with a massive contract extension this spring, keeping him with the program through Jan. 31, 2033. However, as DeBoer heads into his third season leading the Crimson Tide, plenty of discussion continues around the team’s expectations and outlook for the 2026 season.
Why Alabama Head Coach Kalen DeBoer Faces Heat in 2026
SEC analyst Mike Bratton joined “The Paul Finebaum Show” on Thursday to discuss college football. As Bratton liked DeBoer heading into last season, Finebaum asked him about his notion toward the Alabama head coach heading into the 2026 season.
“I certainly did, and then four more of those bumps, as you call it, occurred on the field,” Bratton said. “Eight in the first two years, which is just something. I never thought I’d see Alabama lose eight games in a two-year span. Yet here we are. And not only did that happen, we gave him a massive contract extension and a buyout. So yeah, you’re exactly right.
“If I had a $70 million buyout, I’d be living pretty happy myself. I think Alabama’s in for a horrendous year by their standards. 8-4, maybe 7-5. I could realistically see that given what they bring back.”
DeBoer has gone 20-8 through two seasons at Tuscaloosa, and Alabama made the College Football Playoff last season, beating Oklahoma in the first round. However, there have also been disappointing moments, including the 31-17 loss to Florida State to begin the 2025 season. The Crimson Tide were later dominated 28-7 by Georgia in the SEC Championship before suffering a crushing 38-3 loss to Indiana in the Rose Bowl.
However, Alabama’s front office has continued to support DeBoer, as athletics director Greg Byrne said during SEC spring meetings on Wednesday that changing coaches every two or three years is “absolutely ludicrous.” Byrne also said that when the program believes in a coach like DeBoer, it wants to maintain “stability.” Nick Saban remains the standard at Alabama, but with Saban now focused on his media career, Byrne reaffirmed the program’s confidence in DeBoer.
DeBoer’s latest contract extension also featured a $2 million raise along with a buyout that makes it extremely difficult for Alabama to move on from him anytime soon. However, Bratton remained doubtful about Alabama sticking with DeBoer long term.
“I don’t know, I think this very well could be the last year we see of Kalen DeBoer at Alabama despite that massive buyout,” Bratton said. “Because how could you bring the guy back if he goes 7-5?”
As Saban won his first national title at Alabama during his third season in 2009, DeBoer is expected to face major pressure in 2026. The PFSN College Football Playoff Metric currently gives the Crimson Tide a 34.3% chance to make the CFP in 2026.
Read More: ‘This Is the Caveat’: Former NFL MVP Declares Kalen DeBoer Is the Wrong Fit for $87.5M Alabama Job
