Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer has been the subject of intense speculation in the past few weeks after being linked to various college football jobs. The discourse surrounding his future in Tuscaloosa got more intense after the Crimson Tide were blown out by the Indiana Hoosiers in the Rose Bowl on Friday.
Analyst Urges Kalen DeBoer To Make Staffing Changes
Alabama’s running game and defense were much maligned after another no-show in the Rose Bowl against Indiana, and reports linked DeBoer with staffing changes to address the lingering issues in the team.
During Sunday’s segment of “Josh Pate’s College Football Show,” analyst Josh Pate called for DeBoer to make staffing changes to address the deficiencies in the team.
“I expect him to address it two-fold. Number one, questioning the mental approach that the program takes, and number two, addressing staffing issues,” Pate said. “I think there are some really good people in that building, and there are probably some other people who do not belong in that building.
“There are no perfect staffs out there, but it’s up to the head man to address that. I’m basing my belief that Alabama’s gonna be better down the road on the concept that he will address that. I’m very confident that you will see staff moves there in the not-too-distant future.”
Running back coaches Robert Gillespie and offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic are on the hot seat after disappointing performances from their respective units in Alabama’s biggest games of the season.
DeBoer Hints at Staffing Changes
DeBoer’s Alabama started the season with a loss to the struggling Florida State Seminoles before going on an eight-game winning run that included four consecutive wins against ranked opponents.
The Crimson Tide’s form dipped after a loss to the Oklahoma Sooners in Tuscaloosa, which was amplified by blowout losses to the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC championship game and Indiana in the Rose Bowl.
During his postgame news conference after the Crimson Tide’s loss to the Hoosiers, DeBoer hinted at staffing changes for Alabama ahead of next season.
“You’ve got to go back to starting over from scratch with putting the people around you, the right people, committing to something, a common goal together, and the actions following it,” DeBoer said.
Alabama’s Rose Bowl loss was the Crimson Tide’s biggest postseason loss in program history and the team’s biggest margin of loss since 1998, putting DeBoer under pressure to course correct next season.
The Saban Standard Looms Large
DeBoer inherited a program built on ruthless accountability. Nick Saban’s willingness to make difficult staffing decisions, even when it meant parting ways with popular assistants, became a hallmark of Alabama’s dynasty. When the Crimson Tide struggled defensively in 2016, Saban didn’t hesitate to shake up his staff. The result was a national championship the following season.
That precedent now hangs over DeBoer’s first major crossroads in Tuscaloosa.
The timing adds urgency. The transfer portal is now open, and Alabama is already fighting to keep its roster intact after several key contributors entered their names following the Rose Bowl defeat. Blue-chip recruits are watching closely. In an era where players have more leverage than ever, how DeBoer handles adversity will shape his ability to recruit at an elite level.
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Perhaps most telling is what the numbers reveal about Alabama’s trajectory. The Crimson Tide allowed 31.3 points per game in their three losses compared to just 12.6 in their eight wins. The offensive line surrendered pressure on nearly 40 percent of dropbacks against Indiana, a far cry from the dominant trenches Saban teams were known for.
DeBoer’s pedigree as a program builder isn’t in question. His turnaround at Washington proved he can construct a winner. But Tuscaloosa operates on a different timeline. Patience is a luxury Alabama doesn’t offer.
