Kalen DeBoer’s tenure in Tuscaloosa has been tumultuous, to say the least. Entering his third season, expectations are high, especially after the $87.5 million extension. Now, in a scathing assessment that has reverberated across the Deep South, prominent CFB analyst Michael Bratton, better known as SEC Mike, laid down a definitive line in the sand for the Alabama head coach.
Why Alabama Head Coach Kalen DeBoer Is on Alert in 2026
SEC Mike appeared on a recent episode of “That SEC Podcast” and put the 2026 season in perspective. Following a 2025 season that saw the Crimson Tide finish 11-4, a record that would be a career high at most programs but feels like a slow-motion car crash at Alabama, the ultimatum is simple.
“If he’s (Kalen DeBoer) seven and five, I’m firing his a**,” Mike declared. “Shane, they just literally said the same thing when I said word for word that with Brian Kelly and then what’d they do? They showed his a** the door. I mean, we ain’t putting up with this bullsh*t at Alabama.”
The 2025 season stats tell a story of high-stakes volatility. While DeBoer holds a staggering 20-6 record against AP Top 25 opponents, his Achilles heel has been head-scratching, random losses. Alabama’s offense often sputtered on third-and-short, leading to a disastrous five-touchdown blowout loss to Indiana in the Rose Bowl.
In addition, SEC Mike’s comparison to Brian Kelly isn’t accidental. It serves as a warning that even successful coaches can be ousted if the culture doesn’t align with the program’s DNA.
But DeBoer has been quick to fix last season’s flaws. The Crimson Tide saw 11 new offensive linemen, as well as defensive linemen Devan Thompkins and Kedrick Bingley-Jones, join the program through the transfer portal and the 2026 recruiting class.
Another aspect that Tide fans might be worried about is the 2026 schedule, which is a gauntlet that leaves no room for the 7-5 scenario Mike described. With road trips to Knoxville and Baton Rouge, plus a home slate that includes Georgia, the margin for error is razor-thin.
The same sentiment was raised by Roman Harper. “Year three should be a year of improvement,” Harper noted. “I don’t think they were always thinking that they were ready; they always thought that they were one more year away.”
“Once he got there, things have calmed down,” Harper observed. “But when he first arrived, it was a big mess … and understandably so.”
PFSN’s CFB Playoff Meter currently projects a win total of 7.38 for Alabama.
