Earlier in the week, college football insider J.D. PicKell analyzed Kalen DeBoer’s first season as head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide football program. While he made it clear that the campaign did not live up to the expectations of Crimson Tide fans, PicKell explained how DeBoer entered a difficult situation for any coach and how the whole process was quite “clunky.”
J.D. PicKell’s Kalen DeBoer, Alabama Crimson Tide Assessment
Before the beginning of last season, longtime and legendary Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban retired from coaching. As a result, it was Alabama’s first season without one of the greatest football coaches ever and someone who had been with the program since the 2007 season. It is not hard to see how this major change led to inconsistent results.
PicKell outlined how he expected the Crimson Tide to have a stronger campaign in DeBoer’s second year in charge. The statement was made and posted on the On3Sports YouTube channel.
“Last year was, to state the obvious, below expectations for what Alabama football has come to expect, obviously. Nick Saban retires, it sends a ripple effect across the college football world.
“Kalen DeBoer took the job in January, and it just felt like, and I’ve said this before, it felt just very clunky. It felt like things were never totally off on the right foot for Kalen DeBoer. My overarching statement here is I don’t think you can judge Kalen DeBoer purely off what you saw in his first season in Tuscaloosa,” PicKell stated.
Alabama Crimson Tide 2025 Outlook
The Crimson Tide are expected to look very different next season, with many key players likely departing for the NFL. Although this will mean that DeBoer will need to be active in recruiting and the transfer portal, it may also allow him to build the Alabama roster around the style of football he enjoys playing.
Offensively, as PicKell alluded to later in the video, DeBoer’s teams are known for a strong and balanced offense that generally tends to favor the pass over the run. However, that style of play does not fully mesh perfectly with quarterback Jalen Milroe, who, while still a strong passer, is extremely agile and more known for his mobility and ability to run the football.
KEEP READING: Kalen DeBoer Vows to Bounce Back In 2024
This past year, Milroe had 726 rushing yards and an impressive 20 touchdowns on the ground.
While it remains to be seen whether next season will be better for the Crimson Tide, PicKell evidently believes that it is unfair to judge DeBoer solely based on his debut season with Alabama.
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