So the Tide folk were saying Saturday night if DeBoer didn't make the playoff this year

I never once doubted we were going to make the playoffs.



It's his 2nd year and we are a top10 team. I'm not going to complain. Watched many coaches at Alabama, I know when it's time to panic and it's not now.

Alabama has improved this year over last year. We have the 2nd rated recruiting class currently, with plenty of spots left to get some transfers.

He's an offensive guy and it's our offense that's struggling because it's in transition. Our defense that is different but doesn't require a huge transition is doing pretty well.

He's not going anywhere unless we have a collapse next year or something crazy. The frustrations of people who never learned to not get their emotions attached to things they can't control because they only know the Saban years has little to no effect on things.

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and they all assumed he wouldn't, that next year was playoff or bust. He would be gone.

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No. Next year is hardware or time to start moving on. Maybe if we make the playoff again and the team makes a run, that would be different, but I'd hope for at least an SEC title.

Look at Alabama football history. Very few coaches have been allowed to stay past 3 years with no hardware to show for it. Bear Bryant would be a notable exception, but he inherited a program that had won only 4 games in the 3 years prior to his tenure and he turned that around to have us ranked in years 2 and 3. He won a national title in year 4.

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I would say the majority very much doubted.

Of course, when you're talking about a fanbase of millions, not everyone is gonna feel the same.

Thanks for the response.

I would take it what he does in the playoff this year isn't a factor for you.

Coming off of Saban, it's hard to know what you consider a collapse.

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A collapse is winning the SEC, playing in a crazy bowl game against a Tom Brady led Michigan team and coming up just short, starting the next season #3 and then finishing the season 3-8 and firing the coach.

Another thing I didn't mention is - I flat out like this teams players more than I have Alabama teams over the past 3 or so years. Not as mouthy and arrogant anymore, more humble. What I remember the most about the above collapse is how much shite taking and such our players did that offseason coming into the first game against UCLA. Terrible attitudes, full of themselves, entitled. Saw the same thing in games against teams like Vandy last year. I hate that crap.

And that started under Saban. It seems DeBoer has gotten that under control - part of that likely coming from the loses, but those were things the players ultimately needed. A reality check.

People forget, the players DeBoer inherited were the players that made Saban say it wasn't worth coaching anymore. Saban got soft over time.

Ten years ago you may have been right, but I think Bama’s admin prob would replace him if he had a couple years of no playoff.

Georgia destroyed Bama and is in the playoffs at #4 and you’re the only Dawg fan melting over Daddy Bama. This is truly utterly amazing

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He will win just enough for them to keep him there without winning the whole thing

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Bama Richt, just without the personality and genuine good guyness.

Just to clarify. Georgia is #3 seed.

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It's his 2nd year and we are a top10 team.

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For 98% of FBS (ie, those not named “Bama”, “Texas”, “Michigan”, etc.), 3 losses would be disqualifying, regardless if one came in a CCG. Notre Dame is the counter argument here, but I think they just couldn’t ignore the Miami H2H.

At some point, Bama will drift back to the pack if DeBoer doesn’t maintain a high level.

All this to say, I think that top 10 ranking this year is likely not sustainable.

DeBoer is doing pretty well so far, but he needs to figure out that this is the SEC. The best coaches in the game work here. You can't win every game by outscheming the other staff. You have to be able to outphysical the other team, too. That's the element we're missing right now. Hopefully as he continues to grow into the job he'll get religion on this front.