Taking over a college football program is no easy task. Following up the greatest college football coach of all time is nearly impossible.
For Kalen DeBoer, a 9-4 record felt like pure disappointment for Alabama fans, spoiled by the greatness of Nick Saban’s teams of old.
Kalen DeBoer Talks Trust in Alabama
DeBoer opened up about taking over for Saban and building connections with Crimson Tide players on “Always College Football” with Greg McElroy, telling the ESPN analyst he feels they’re in a good place.
“I think it naturally happens,” DeBoer said. “Because you try to really put yourself in those adverse situations as often as you can, but [when] a game comes along, it’s gonna happen. You’ve got to be able to trust. I think that’s the key word, trust in what you’re saying, or when I’m telling a player or our coaches tell a player that they know it’s for our good. Not just because you’re upset or anything like that.”
In a transfer portal era, it’s difficult for many new coaches to build relationships with players, who often transfer away once the one initially recruited them heads out the door. For many at Alabama, Saban was the reason to come to Tuscaloosa.
DeBoer retained many players well, but Alabama still lost 31 players to the portal in 2024. The number went down to only 24 in 2025, around the NCAA average.
“You know, the real intentions are for them to be the best they can be,” DeBoer said. “Bring value to who they are as a football player, as a person, and that is nothing about them personally. It’s about what we’re trying to do together to help everyone reach the goals that they have individually and we have collectively. So, yeah. Just more time together.”
“We’re very intentional with how we spend that time together in building our culture, having the expectations. But most importantly, just growing the relationships that have that, again, trust, that we all want the same thing, and we all are here for a reason. We all stayed here for a reason, chose to be here for a reason, and that’s to do great things at Alabama.”
KEEP READING: Kalen DeBoer Reveals When Alabama Will Name Its Starting QB for 2025
Now, DeBoer and the Tide will look to improve on that 9-4 record and try to get back to the College Football Playoff. Their season kicks off on August 30 with a trip to play the Florida State Seminoles.
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