It’s not easy replacing Nick Saban, a 7x national champ, as a head coach for anybody. However, when Kalen DeBoer jumped on the Crimson Tide wagon, many fans and analysts thought he was the best fit for the job.
After a disappointing 9-4 season in 2024, Alabama fans were hopeful DeBoer would turn things around in the 2025 college football season because of many new additions to the staff, like Ryan Grubb.
Unfortunately the season started with a dissapointing 31-17 loss against Mike Norvell’s Florida State, which sparked the debate on whether he is the right person for the gig or not.
During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Friday, Nick Saban shared his thoughts on Kalen DeBoer after the crushing loss:
“Kalen is a really good guy, he’s a good coach,” Saban said. “He’s always had success no matter where he’s been. Maybe he hasn’t had this kind of scrutiny in the past. But if you’re going to be successful, you’ve got to be able to self assess and figure out what can I do better? I know he is reaching out to a lot of people trying to do that. Hopefully they get it turned around this week and develop some confidence on this team so they can move forward in a positive way.”
“One thing about coaching at Alabama, they expect you to win every game,” Saban added. “There’s a high expectation and the standard is really, really high for what you’re supposed to accomplish and what you’re supposed to do.”
“Kalen DeBoer is a really good coach and he’s had success everywhere that he’s been..
They’ve gotta stay focused on getting better and all these guys have to be committed to the team”
Coach Saban #PMSLive https://t.co/nZxp0gdaFX pic.twitter.com/HTLb7pe7BH
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 5, 2025
Read more: Josh Pate Minces No Words While Sharing ‘Serious Doubts’ About Alabama’s Future Under Kalen DeBoer
A.J McCarron Gets 100% Real on Kalen DeBoer’s Firing Rumors
The standard at Alabama is like no other, before Kalen DeBoer took the reins in his hands, Saban’s program didn’t see a season with less than 10 wins in over 15 years.
After the FSU loss in week 1, many fans and analysts started floating the idea of DeBoer getting fired. Weighing in on the pressure, ex Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron said:
“My biggest thing with Alabama fans right now is you can’t put everything on Coach DeBoer,” McCarron said. “He’s a great man. But you knew his demeanor when you hired him. He’s relaxed. He’s night and day from Saban. We’ve just got to get the kids playing with the commitment to excellence and the standard that was set back when I was there.”
McCarron further shared that he talked to the players ahead of Week 2’s game and got to hear that the issues are being addressed and are going to get fixed.
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