31st December 2024. Michigan and Alabama both enter Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. Both programs came through a disappointing season, and both wanted something from the game. Sherrone Moore and Kalen DeBoer’s cases were also quite similar. Both head coaches in their first seasons, and both had failed to deliver to their program’s standards. What followed after was apt and quite literally poetic as the heavens opened and rain started to pour; it seemed even god didn’t want Alabama to win that day. Michigan took a 16-0 lead early, and Alabama never recovered and lost the game by 19-13. Kalen DeBoer was expecting more scrutiny than ever now.
A season where Nick Saban’s legacy took a backseat, and Alabama suffered a loss in 40 years to minnows Vanderbilt and a struggling Oklahoma team. This was a season synonymous with a looming storm that just had its arrival after decades of being weathered by Nick Saban. After all, Kalen DeBoer had signed a contract that put him even above the legendary coach Bill Belichick’s contract. A close to $11 million contract seemed unjustified now, and the internet was filled with DeBoer memes. Can DeBoer emulate his Washington success with Alabama, or will this be another coach succumbing to the high expectations of a high-profile program?
Hosts of Locked on SEC Steve Willis, Zack Blackerby, Brad Kellner, and Clint Shamblin were talking about whether DeBoer’s season could be given some leeway (since it was his first) or if he deserves to suffer the criticisms like other top-paid coaches. Willis sarcastically remarked, “Well, things went so well his first year, yeah, especially when you don’t sign any recruits in the state, and that’s always a good sign.” To which Brad Kellner interjected, “And brag about it, the craziest thing I’ve ever seen.”
The statements hold quite true for Kalen DeBoer, as in his 2025 class, there are a whopping seven California players. That includes prospects like Lee McDonald. Kalen Edwards and Abduall Sanders Jr. Furthermore, it also has 3 players from Georgia, 2 from Mississippi, and others from states like Texas, New Jersey, and Ohio. There are 2 players from Alabama, but when you compare other states, the in-state prospects are a tiny minority. DeBoer was asked the same about his lack of in-state signings and replied without showing any concern. “Relationship is where it starts, and the relationships are with those players. The identification, of course, is a part of it and evaluation, but the relationship piece is important.”
For Kalen DeBoer, it seems results matter the most, and in recruitment, the relationships with players play a major part. It doesn’t matter if the players are from in-state or East Coast or West Coast; DeBoer seems to embrace them all. But, that will only work if results show on the field. Because if DeBoer again produces a 9-win season, then even his $70 million release clause will not save him from being axed. That takes us to his 2026 class, and it looks like Kalen DeBoer has a plan to outsmart Kirby Smart this time with his recent move.
Kalen DeBoer outsmarting Kirby Smart in the recruitment race?
Kalen DeBoer’s 2026 recruiting class has 3 prospects in total. Those being 4-star Zyan Gibson (CB), Jamarion Matthews (Edge), and interior offensive lineman Chris Booker. While Deboer doesn’t have too many prospects in his class right now, the three prospects are still looking like a real deal, with all rated 4 stars, and Zyab Gibson is even ranked 5th in the state of Alabama and 10th overall in his position. And now, to add another prospect, he has his eyes on one of the players Kirby Smart is also after.
That player is Khamari Brooks, rated as a 4-star prospect with a 92.756 rating on On3. Standing at 6 feet 3 and 230 lbs, the player is a dominant edge rusher and will give DeBoer a significant boost in his 2026 class. However, the problem is that Kirby Smart’s Georgia is leading in acquiring the player with an almost 43% probability rate on On3. But that doesn’t mean that Alabama is lagging behind, as they also have a 28% probability to sign him in their roster. And with the latest announcement, it looks like the probability is going to increase.
The 4-star prospect will be taking an official visit to Alabama this summer around 6th to 8th June. Alabama has always given priority to building a relationship with the player and has hosted him on three previous occasions. The slated visit will be the fourth time the player will come to Tuscaloosa, and this time, maybe Kalen DeBoer will lock his commitment. The player hails from Georgia, though, and is a player at North Oconee High School, Bogart. So, proximity-wise, Georgia has a slight advantage. Still, Kalen DeBoer may have a trick or two to sway him after all.
The post Surprising Twist in Kalen DeBoer’s $70M Safety Net as Alabama HC’s Big Announcement Threatens Kirby Smart appeared first on EssentiallySports.
