Nick Saban and Kalen DeBoer have two different pictures of the Alabama Crimson Tide to the names. Fans and experts alike know to attribute either picture to. Nobody could have predicted the team’s current performance after Saban’s departure, given the shining 104-12 record that DeBoer came with. But in just a year, Alabama is scrambling for a semblance of its previous glory. Perhaps DeBoer could take some notes from the notebook of his legendary predecessor.
DeBoer brought in Ryan Grubb into his staff as OC early last month after Bama’s worst season since 2007. Grubb is a trusted colleague from DeBoer’s Washington coaching days. In 2023, they led the team to the national championship with an unbeaten record but ultimately lost to Michigan. Everyone thought DeBoer’s right-hand man would follow him to Tuscaloosa. Instead, Grubb took the offensive coordinator position at the Seattle Seahawks. However, like DeBoer, Grubb didn’t have the best of 2024 and was let go by the team after just one season. Now? New beginnings with the old friend.
In Alabama, with Grubb back as his assistant, comparisons to the iconic Saban-Kirby Smart era are inevitable. USA Today likens the latter duo to the pairing of Batman and Robin—and rightly so. The duo won 4 national championships between 2007-15, along with 4 SEC Championships. Such was Smart’s performance that Alabama management kept on increasing his salary to keep him away from other CFB suitors. Smart ultimately left for Georgia and has won two national championships so far. The comparisons with DeBoer-Grubb would stand if the duo repeats even 50% of what Saban and Smart achieved.
In a March 12 video, Mick Gillispie of Bama Tailgate said, “When you see Grubb, and you see DeBoer together, what you see is the yin to the yang.” He added, “Having Grubb back is going to do nothing but make this Alabama team that much stronger. I think this is going to put the staff back together the way they need to be put together.” He also shared his excitement for what the new team could bring forward. “We knew that the defense could play, but now, we kind of also have the offense back together again.” Gillispie also remarked that if DeBoer can win a national championship title with Grubb as his offensive coordinator, Alabama fans can be “really happy.” But despite Gillespie sharing positive hope for Grubb backing DeBoer, he encouraged the latter to revisit Saban’s enduring legacy.
He suggested that DeBoer “slide over to the GOAT” and ask, “How did you keep those guys prepared?” This was in context to the team’s surprising losses to Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, and Michigan, where Alabama was expected to win. Both the defense and offense of the Crimson Tide faltered last season and desperately need to be addressed for better hopes in the upcoming one. “Take advantage of Nick Saban! […] find out what it takes to be a better coach.”
Saban coached the team for a glorious 17 years. His involvement with the team trumps that of Kalen DeBoer, who came in with a mere nine. Saban had to match up to the far bigger shoes of Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant, who coached Alabama for 24 years. And he brought back the glory days of Crimson Tide football. Saban has led the team to 6 national titles—tying with Bryant’s record—and 9 SEC titles. A key member of his staff who contributed to these results was DC Kirby Smart, a formula DeBoer is now employing.
Heaps of work await the duo as they assess one of Alabama’s poorest seasons while also taking into account other glaring problems of the team.
Other problems that plague Kalen DeBoer and Alabama
Saban also took some blows as a coach when he was at Alabama. But with DeBoer, the team’s performance has seen a humiliating crash, all within one season. Crimson Tide finished 9-4, which is not a score that a CFB behemoth is supposed to sport. After this season, Alabama is no longer the Alabama that once reigned supreme. Some of those losses came against unranked teams, and Alabama had a huge point favorite margin over them, according to CBS. Their shocking 3-24 loss to Oklahoma? The Crimson Tide was a 14-point favorite.
Another key area is team discipline. In another surprise defeat to Vanderbilt, defensive back Malachi Moore slammed QB Diego Pavia’s head to the ground, blasted his teammates, and earned a penalty after kicking the ball after spotting. In the game against Tennessee—which the Crimson Tide also lost—the team recorded 15 penalties.
It’s only been a year for Kalen DeBoer at Alabama, and he clearly has a lot of time to get things in order. He has never tried to be Saban and will never be him. But it doesn’t hurt too much to learn from the man. Now that DeBoer has his trusted colleague by his side, do results that came under the Saban-Smart era look possible for the Crimson Tide?
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