Are there any advantages DeBoer has to consider if Michigan comes calling?

Nov 9, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer looks on against the LSU Tigers during the second half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Alabama football’s head coach Kalen DeBoer has been linked to the Michigan job after the departure of Sherrone Moore.

DeBoer is among the betting favorites to be the next head coach for the Wolverines, according to Bookies.com. It is likely DeBoer stays in Tuscaloosa with the Crimson Tide in position to compete for a National Championship with a promising future on the horizon with a lot of young talent en route or already in Tuscaloosa.

On the flip side, the current college football landscape has taught everyone to expect the unexpected. With that in mind, here are some advantages DeBoer would likely have to consider if he were pursued by the Wolverines:

Less Pressure

Coaching at Alabama is like coaching in a pressure cooker, and that may be an understatement. The Crimson Tide is in the College Football Playoff with a favorable path to make a run at a National Championship, but there are Alabama fans who are disappointed in the season and a group of them are standing on the mountain that reads the Tide should not even be in the playoff after losing to Georgia in the SEC Championship. It is also the ‘only’ place fans criticize what their head coach wears on game day, according to Alabama football’s General Manager Courtney Morgan, who went to Michigan and was on the Wolverines’ recruiting staff at one point. The Michigan job will undoubtedly come with pressure to win, but not at the level of Alabama. No program has that amount of pressure.

Easier Path To Playoff In Big Ten

The Big Ten faithful do not want to hear this, but this  is just the nature of the competitive SEC. Alabama had one of the toughest schedules in college football this season, and it ultimately benefited them in the end as the Tide’s resume played a big role in them getting into the playoff. As former Alabama defensive back and Ohio State star safety Caleb Downs puts it, the SEC forces you to play competition each week.

“You’re playing every week, and you’re playing big comp every week,” Downs said during an interview with David Pollack. “That was something when I was at Alabama. It was every week playing, okay, Tennessee this week, LSU next week, then we got Auburn. You’re playing dudes every week and that’s something that you need to prepare your body for, prepare your mind for. I would say Big Ten, you’re gonna have four or five games maybe, where you guys are where you’re gonna have to play, like, high-level competition.”

Still Get Top Recruits With NIL Backing

Michigan remains an attractive plays for top recruits, and the Wolverines have shown they will drop the bag on the recruiting front. Bryce Underwood, the Wolverines’ star freshman quarterback, reportedly has an estimated NIL deal that falls between $10 and $12 million. 

All signs point to the Wolverines being in a position to have a lot of talent, regardless of who their next head coach is.

Pay Raise

Kalen DeBoer does not leave Alabama for less money. That is really clear and obvious. So if the Wolverines indeed want him, they have to show him the money and outbid Alabama.

Back To His Roots

This is really one of the most significant reasons DeBoer has been tied to Michigan. He started his FBS college coaching career in the state at Eastern Michigan as an offensive coordinator. He also coached in the Big Ten at Indiana.