On The Paul Finebaum Show, ESPN and SEC analyst Paul Finebaum said Kalen DeBoer “threw it all away this season,” referring to the head coach’s first year with the Alabama Crimson Tide.
How Did Alabama Head Coach Kalen DeBoer Throw It All Away?
On his show, Finebaum said DeBoer’s start at Alabama was great, and most of the fan base was bought in. However, he lost support down the stretch, saying:
“He tended to turn people off after the Vanderbilt game. I felt like he was bringing them back. The LSU game was monstrous. Then I felt like he threw it all away again in the Oklahoma game. Then, not winning the bowl game really resonated.”
It’s hard to say. The post-Saban era at Alabama was always going to be a challenge. Nick Saban is the undisputed GOAT of college football coaches, so whoever replaced him had massive shoes to fill.
DeBoer also had to deal with the fallout of Saban’s departure, losing star players in the transfer portal, including Caleb Downs, Julian Sayin, and Isaiah Bond.
He had to gain the locker room’s trust and keep Alabama at a championship level—easier said than done.
Finebaum is right that DeBoer’s first season didn’t get off to a great start. Losing to Vanderbilt hurt his standing with the fan base. That, on top of the Oklahoma loss, which effectively ended Alabama’s playoff hopes, capped off a disappointing season.
KEEP READING: Can Kalen DeBoer Reach Nick Saban’s Glory Days At Alabama?
Despite the setbacks, DeBoer accomplished a lot in Year 1. He knocked off Georgia, South Carolina, LSU, and Missouri—all teams that were ranked when Alabama played them or finished the season in the top 25.
It wasn’t a typical season for the Tide, but give DeBoer time to bring them back to their standard. Expect to see Alabama back in the College Football Playoff next year.
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