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re: DeBoer Dynasty
Posted on 1/4/26 at 8:37 pm to SPennington
Posted on 1/4/26 at 8:37 pm to SPennington
DeBoer isn’t Saban. He’s not even Cignetti. That much is clear.
However, he’s also not Mike Shula or Mike Dubose no matter what stats you want to throw out. Neither of them made the NC game before Bama, at Bama, or after Bama. I suspect DeBoer will do just fine after Bama if we run him off vs. what happened to Shula and Dubose. Believe DeBoer still has a better winning % against ranked teams than any other coach in CFB history (min 10 games), including Saban.
I’m still hoping he can adapt and grow, but I have my doubts.
However, he’s also not Mike Shula or Mike Dubose no matter what stats you want to throw out. Neither of them made the NC game before Bama, at Bama, or after Bama. I suspect DeBoer will do just fine after Bama if we run him off vs. what happened to Shula and Dubose. Believe DeBoer still has a better winning % against ranked teams than any other coach in CFB history (min 10 games), including Saban.
I’m still hoping he can adapt and grow, but I have my doubts.
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Posted on 1/4/26 at 8:42 pm to Bamadiver
Saban was clearly at odds with the new format, no question. But 2023 was some of his best work. I believe he could have figured it out; he simply chose not to, largely because of his age. Many of the same people who make the claim that he stepped away because of the direction things were headed also want him as commissioner to regulate modern college football and pay-for-play. If he were younger, there’s little doubt he would have adapted and found a creative way to manage it. Age got him more so than the new format.
Posted on 1/4/26 at 8:49 pm to SPennington
quote:
Saban would likely have gotten more out of that roster (even with the Bonds, Sayin, Downs, and McLaughlin losses) than Kalen DeBoer, but that comparison is apples to oranges.
Well at least we solved that Saban is a better coach than CKD because I was still torn on that one. The blue chip stat means absolutely nothing because that’s based off of recruiting rankings and those have never been proven wrong. I don’t think Cignetti would have done much with that roster when you look at the amount of “ME” guys that were on that team. It seemed to me that he has a bunch of gritty older players from JMU and has done a great job evaluating talent and spending money in the portal to fill the holes.
Also not going to mention how basically all of those WR’s from the 2020-2023 classes were all 4 stars and up and yet not one of them is a bonafide number 1 WR? Kinda makes your blue chip stat fall apart even more.
Posted on 1/4/26 at 9:52 pm to SPennington
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Over 80% of the roster consisted of blue-chip recruits with the vast majority being 4 and 5 star players.
I've got to be honest, going back to the Saban era the recruiting classes were having hit-rate problems as early as 2018.
I'd say that 2017 was the last truly great recruiting class in the final analysis that Saban signed.
2018-2020 had some real studs but the misses and busts started becoming a bit of a problem. Smart was sniping some of our defensive front targets.
2021-2023 recruiting classes were full of misses especially at skill positions and offensive line.
The 2024 class - that Saban's staff essentially built and DeBoer mostly maintained - is heading towards mostly bust status too.
I don't care what the websites say, most of our transfers have not done all that much after they've left either. Our recruiting success has been diminishing a bit since the 2017 class but took a nose dive after the pandemic season.
Posted on 1/4/26 at 10:13 pm to Alfie Solomons
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You have to let this play out until after the 2027 season.
This is lunacy. If he doesn't show improvement next year, he absolutely should be fired. Period.
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the results were an improvement this year over last season.
How in the ever loving frick is having the worst running game in over 100 years of Alabama football an improvement?
quote:
We do not want to be one of these schools that gives a coach 3 seasons to win a championship or get fired. We don’t want to be Auburn or LSU.
The notion that we can't demand competence because of whatever Auburn may have done is just plain stupid.
Posted on 1/4/26 at 10:22 pm to BamaGradinTn
quote:
This is lunacy. If he doesn't show improvement next year, he absolutely should be fired. Period.
The bottom will have to fall out in 2026 for DeBoer to be fired. He's shown the ability to piece together a solid season through two years. Frankly, the 2026 season projects to be easier than DeBoer's first two at Alabama. I think the most likely thing to happen is for DeBoer to be coaching for his job in 2027.
Posted on 1/4/26 at 10:25 pm to BamaGradinTn
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This is lunacy. If he doesn't show improvement next year, he absolutely should be fired. Period.
You paying the 60 million to fire him?
Posted on 1/4/26 at 10:30 pm to Robot Santa
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but the fact that we got our asses kicked fewer times in more games under extreme sanctions and Mike Shula than has happened under DeBoer is indefensible.
Shula actually recruited pretty well under the circumstances. He left Saban three future All American offensive linemen in Andre Smith, Mike Johnson, and Antoine Caldwell, along with Glen Coffee to run behind them. He also left future All American safety Rashad Johnson.
Among all of glaring deficiencies in coaching the various positions as well as offensive performance, to me one of the most unacceptable things was how utterly unprepared the team was for FSU. That was absolutely unacceptable.
Posted on 1/4/26 at 10:33 pm to RollTide33
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You paying the 60 million to fire him?
Are you stupid, or are you just another dumbass kid trying to be cute? The rest of the league paid close to a half BILLION in alimony over 17 years, while we didn't pay a dime. If you don't think we could afford $10M a year over 6 years, you're hopelessly clueless.
This post was edited on 1/4/26 at 10:38 pm
Posted on 1/4/26 at 10:37 pm to Diego Ricardo
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Frankly, the 2026 season projects to be easier than DeBoer's first two at Alabama.
You probably projected that FSU game to be pretty easy also. Maybe Vandy last year? That near loss at South Carolina last year?
DeBoer has shown the ability to turn games that "project" to be easy into losable games.
Posted on 1/4/26 at 10:40 pm to SPennington
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He inherited a top-five roster in all of college football. The mindset may have needed work, but the talent was undeniable. Maximizing that talent is his responsibility.
Chock full of busts and transfers out of the program.
Remember the pot smoking 5 star DE that was the headliner of the 2023 class?
When you look at recruiting rankings Bama busted at MLB and DL during Saban’s last few years.
Used to be Bama had at least one elite, sometimes two, players at each position group (DL, OL, DBs, WR, RB).
None of these guys are near even the raw talent of those guys. And with NIL and the portal TDGAF about working hard to improve.
This post was edited on 1/4/26 at 10:42 pm
Posted on 1/4/26 at 10:43 pm to JoylessMurderball
Again, spin it however you want, but undeniably talented (top five). Verified/validated statistically stemming from multiple classes.
“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard” — I believe that sums it up. That fits your “ME” argument that I agree with. Talent was there, want to wasn’t.
“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard” — I believe that sums it up. That fits your “ME” argument that I agree with. Talent was there, want to wasn’t.
Posted on 1/4/26 at 10:43 pm to BamaGradinTn
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The rest of the league paid clise to a half BILLION in alimony over 17 years, while we didn't pay a dime. If you don't think we could afford $10M a year over 6 years, you're hopelessly clueless.
That's the only reason we've been able to be moderately competitive in NIL the past few years. And no we can't afford 10 million a year for 6 years without sacrificing NIL. I'm not clueless but you are an idiot.
Posted on 1/4/26 at 10:49 pm to RollTide33
Is Bryant Jr. our largest donor?
Posted on 1/5/26 at 6:42 am to BamaGradinTn
quote:
Are you stupid, or are you just another dumbass kid trying to be cute? The rest of the league paid close to a half BILLION in alimony over 17 years, while we didn't pay a dime. If you don't think we could afford $10M a year over 6 years, you're hopelessly clueless.
If we don't have 4 years for a head coach who never has a .500 or below season during that time, then we'll be adding half a billion to that ledger over the next two decades all by ourselves.
If the wheels fall off for DeBoer in 2026 and we're staring down a Birmingham Bowl invite in December, sure. If we are 8-4 or 9-3 - I suspect will be rational worst case - then DeBoer is starting the 2027 as Alabama's head coach if he doesn't leave of his own accord.
This post was edited on 1/5/26 at 6:48 am
Posted on 1/5/26 at 7:01 am to Diego Ricardo
DeBoer has had a ton of challenges. He is replacing the GOAT, he is working to get all of his players into his system, removing cultural rot, navigating a new conference, replacing 66+ transfers, and quite frankly Alabama is facing new challenges with NIL. We are having to compete with schools with huge boosters throwing $5MM+ at QBs from Cincinnati. It’s hard to horde talent which was a huge boon for Saban.
With that being said…He is recruiting well in HS but he has to adapt more to the portal IMO. We need more veteran leadership, etc. That’s a critical thing that has been missing and it’s not something to take lightly.
I do agree that we’ve lost some head scratchers. I do agree that our coaching staff should and can improve.
However, from a business standpoint….We need to stick with DeBoer for 3-4 years. Let him have a genuine shot at straightening things up. It’ll take more than a year or two to do so.
We did make it to the SECCG and we had 11 wins. Saban isn’t walking in that door. We may never be that consistent again across 20 years. It is what it is. I’d rather our bottom be a good coach than not. I think DeBoer is a good coach. Happy to bridge the gap between HoF coaches with good ones.
With that being said…He is recruiting well in HS but he has to adapt more to the portal IMO. We need more veteran leadership, etc. That’s a critical thing that has been missing and it’s not something to take lightly.
I do agree that we’ve lost some head scratchers. I do agree that our coaching staff should and can improve.
However, from a business standpoint….We need to stick with DeBoer for 3-4 years. Let him have a genuine shot at straightening things up. It’ll take more than a year or two to do so.
We did make it to the SECCG and we had 11 wins. Saban isn’t walking in that door. We may never be that consistent again across 20 years. It is what it is. I’d rather our bottom be a good coach than not. I think DeBoer is a good coach. Happy to bridge the gap between HoF coaches with good ones.
Posted on 1/5/26 at 7:12 am to SPennington
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He inherited a top-five roster in all of college football
Its just not true...on paper maybe. Anyone with eyes could see serious deficiencies in this roster. The OL was miss after miss. The RB room is the worst ive ever seen in my lifetime. It may have been the worst RB room in the SEC.
I can understand the frustration if you truly believe that Bama has a top 5 roster and CFB is the same it was in 2015. Its just not.
Hell how many 4-5 starts were complete busts even during the prime Saban years....there were many. The difference was that we recruited so many of them(and they stayed) that Bama still had an incredible roster. Other teams also had to deal with busts and had to play the hand they recruited. Now teams can just ditch their busts and go find proven players to plug in.
The real talent/experience gap between Bama and other teams was so minimal that Bama had to fight tooth and nail just to eek out most of the wins. Ty basically willed Bama to wins with a damn broke back cause his line was so terrible.
Posted on 1/5/26 at 7:13 am to SPennington
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Again, spin it however you want, but undeniably talented (top five). Verified/validated statistically stemming from multiple classes.
“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard” — I believe that sums it up. That fits your “ME” argument that I agree with. Talent was there, want to wasn’t.
It is deniable to anyone with half a brain bud. You have your narrative and youre going to stick to it no matter what. I'm glad the people who are in charge who have a bit more critical thinking skills than you.
Posted on 1/5/26 at 7:22 am to SPennington
Totally agree that Saban’s last two years were his best true coaching and that is because of the issues. I also agree NIL was part of the decision but am convinced that he also wanted to preserve his legacy from the drop off.
Posted on 1/5/26 at 7:30 am to SPennington
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Between the 2001–2023
Convenient that you leave out 2000...let me tell you about those days since I still remember them clearly. In 2000 Bama got its arse kicked by a backup QB at UCLA...Bama won 3 games that season
2001 we hired Franchione. Things started getting a little better...but still lost 5 games. Itd be our last win against Auburn for 6 damn seasons
2002 We thought we had a coach...things were looking on the up and up, then the coach decides to take A&M game and purposely tanks the Auburn game
2003 4 win season Bama was laughingstock of the SEC. National media didnt even bother talking about Bama because they were irrelevant. Auburn firmly owned the state
2004 Slightly better...but still easily defeated by all our rivals...still a laughingstock, still irrelevent
2005 One nice blip of Shula era. Beat Urban Meyer, finally got a win over a rival for first time in years(UT)...lost to Auburn
2006 Misery and hopelessness Bama was basically Nebraska at this point...a formerly blue blood program destined for endless mediocrity
Some of yall need to sack up. Everyone can realize that Deboer needs to make serious changes yet appreciate the challenge hes had with just a decent roster and a mountain of cultural rot that Saban let fester.
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