Alabama football stands at a crossroads after Kalen DeBoer’s first season in charge. After missing the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2019, the conversations centered around how Alabama’s dynasty is arriving at its conclusion. College football insider Jake Crain stood up for the program, making a declarative statement on Alabama’s standing in football.
“Love ’em, hate ’em, or whatever, it’s still Bama. And the standard is still the same. I got them at 11-1,” Crain said. (34:29)
Crain boldly made those statements in the context of Alabama football as people around the country are writing off the program because they missed the playoffs and ended the season 9-4 under DeBoer.
The psychological dimension of Alabama’s situation cannot be ignored. Crain pointed to the internal pressure on the current team:
“The guys in that locker room, they don’t want to be known as the class that it all fell apart. All the stuff that Nick Saban built up, the house on the hill, and it all fell apart because of these guys.”
Meanwhile, Ryan Grubb’s hiring says DeBoer intends to innovate the offense. The former Washington and Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator has a demonstrated history of getting the best out of his quarterback and creating explosive offensive systems. Grubb’s hire takes care of DeBoer’s offensive problems that were created in his first season.
Alabama’s Playoff Snub Fuels Championship Expectations for 2025
The program has seen promise and growing pains in Kalen DeBoer’s first season. The Crimson Tide beat then-No. 2 Georgia, 41-34, ending their 42-game regular season win streak. The Tide crushed ranked opponents like Missouri, 34-0, and LSU, 42-13, which also shows their capabilities against the elite.
Nonetheless, there were some surprising losses to Vanderbilt, Tennessee, and Oklahoma that exposed some weakness in Alabama, and ultimately proved costly for their playoff possibility. The exclusion stung a little given that SMU and Indiana were invited ahead of Alabama causing many to wonder if the staff is truly ready to compete at a championship level.
Crain’s ardent defense of Alabama occurs despite the program’s recent failures.
“They got their heart broke last year. Didn’t make the College Football Playoff. Got SMU picked over you. Indiana picked over you. It’s still Bama,” he said, acknowledging the tough road to the playoffs. (34:04)
As we look towards 2025, Alabama has some expectations to be back in playoff contention. The SEC is competitive and also gives Alabama many chances to show their championship status throughout the season. Quality wins against ranked opponents could help to regain the program’s national image very quickly.
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