Stephen A. Smith on Kalen DeBoer: “You don’t want the smoke”

Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer looks on in the second half against the Indiana Hoosiers in the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer will enter his third season in Tuscaloosa with a massive chip on his shoulder. 

DeBoer and the Tide held an overall record of 11-4 across the 2025 campaign. Alabama was able to secure their first College Football Playoff victory since 2021 with a win on the road over Oklahoma, and the Tide will now look to play at an even higher level in 2026 with a young, revamped roster. 

ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith recently shared his expectations for DeBoer entering year three at Alabama, as Smith believes the Crimson Tide head coach will need to improve moving forward. 

“You want the money, you want the title, you want the position, but you don’t want the smoke that comes with it.” Smith said. “They want the freedom to come to work everyday, and you know I won 11 games, I went 11-4. Instead he is looking at the 11 wins, he isn’t looking at the 4 losses that have people debating whether or not they should have been in the College Football Playoff.”

Alabama was one of the last teams to qualify for the College Football Playoff in 2025. The Tide were able to defeat an elite Sooners team on the road despite the doubt, and DeBoer will undoubtedly need to build upon last years’ success in order to thrive in 2026.