Kalen DeBoer’s first season at Alabama was anything but smooth. Taking over for the legendary Nick Saban came with immense expectations, and a 9-3 finish without a College Football Playoff (CFP) berth left fans uneasy. However, 2025 represents a clean slate. This is no longer Saban’s team. It’s DeBoer’s.
The offseason saw DeBoer aggressively reshape the Crimson Tide roster through the transfer portal, ensuring that the 2025 squad fits his offensive and defensive philosophies. More importantly, he now has his coaching staff fully in place. After missing out on Ryan Grubb in 2024, DeBoer finally landed his former Washington offensive coordinator, giving him a trusted partner to implement the system they ran with great success in Seattle and Seattle before that.
Quarterback uncertainty plagued the 2024 campaign, but that won’t be the case in 2025. DeBoer has three viable candidates who fit his system: a seasoned fourth-year junior, a developmental player familiar with the scheme, and a highly-touted freshman. For the first time in his tenure, DeBoer can confidently choose a signal-caller that aligns with his offensive vision.
While the pieces are in place, the stakes have never been higher. Alabama missing the CFP for a second straight year would be unacceptable by Tuscaloosa standards. A program of Alabama’s caliber, with its resources, tradition, and expectations, cannot afford mediocrity. DeBoer understands that. The goodwill he earned by simply surviving the first post-Saban year won’t extend much further without real results.
Historically, Alabama’s most successful coaches have shown significant progress in their second year. Wallace Wade, Bear Bryant, Gene Stallings, and Nick Saban all improved from their debut seasons and laid the foundation for national titles shortly thereafter. Even Frank Thomas, the lone exception, won a title by year three. If DeBoer wants to join that elite group, history suggests he must show marked improvement in 2025.
A return to the playoff doesn’t require a perfect season. Even a 10-2 record with losses to top-tier opponents could be enough if the team demonstrates growth and competitiveness. But another 9-3 season, especially with losses to underwhelming teams like in 2024, would raise serious questions about DeBoer’s ability to lead Alabama back to national prominence.
Recruits are watching. Fans are watching. If DeBoer falters again, the buzz he’s built on the recruiting trail could evaporate, and with it, the future he’s trying to construct. Worse, he risks losing the locker room and fan base—something no coach at Alabama can afford.
DeBoer doesn’t have to win a national title in 2025. But he has to look like someone who can. Making the expanded 12-team playoff would be a strong signal that the program is on the right trajectory under his leadership.
The bottom line: 2025 isn’t about perfection, but it is about progress. This is Kalen DeBoer’s chance to prove he belongs on Alabama’s Mount Rushmore of coaches. Year two will define not just his tenure—but possibly the future of the program itself.
