He knew what he was walking into, but Kalen DeBoer probably did not know the magnitude of how special of a situation he walked into at the University of Alabama as Nick Saban’s successor.
Alabama football was 4:41 away from playing for a College Football Playoff National Championship in 2023.
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Saban got last year’s group to overachieve despite a loss to Texas and early struggles.
The Crimson Tide lost players to the NCAA transfer portal following Saban’s retirement, but it kept marquee leaders on the team. DeBoer has assembled a coaching staff that wants to push the program back to winning national championships.
He got five-star wide receiver Ryan Williams back recommitted and Williams shut down his recruitment. DeBoer also made moves in the portal, pulling a quarterback, offensive lineman, and wide receiver from Washington to Alabama. What has impressed him the most is the nucleus of this team.
DeBoer explained to ESPN’s Pat McAfee on Wednesday that there is something special about this group.
He said the players that have remained at Alabama are here for a reason.
“The nucleus of this team really believe and they’re here for a reason..
These guys wanna prove some people right but also prove some people wrong”@KalenDeBoer #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/AvY92OtxgD
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 24, 2024
“You can just feel the closeness that they have,” DeBoer said about the returning Alabama players.
“It is attributed to the coaching staff, Coach Saban, and everything they built. It is not just a bunch of really good football players out there that won an SEC Championship, but it is guys that really believe. They came here to continue the legacy of Alabama football and build on their own, and I truly believe that. The nucleus of this team and the program, those guys have stayed the course. They have hunkered down and are ready to go back to work. They want to continue to prove some people right, but they also want to prove some people wrong.”
DeBoer said he is looking forward to the challenge of keeping his players and coaches together. He knows it will be an ongoing process, but DeBoer also understands Alabama’s championship expectations. He’s done a great job since getting hired, and Tide fans are every excited for spring football to start soon.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
