Kalen DeBoer is poised to achieve unprecedented success as a first-year head coach for the Alabama Crimson Tide football program. His potential achievements could surpass those of even legendary coaches like Nick Saban, Bear Bryant, and Gene Stallings.
However, it’s worth noting, in a somewhat tongue-in-cheek manner familiar to Greg McElroy and devoted Alabama fans, that no first-year head coach at Alabama has achieved substantial success since Bryant’s tenure. Saban and Stallings both posted 7-6 records, while Bryant achieved a 5-4-1 record.
McElroy boldly predicts that DeBoer could match or even exceed the nine-win mark set by Frank Thomas in 1931, who finished the season 9-1. According to McElroy, Alabama’s upcoming schedule presents a favorable opportunity for achieving such success.
For further insights and analysis, McElroy discusses these expectations on his podcast, Always College Football with Greg McElroy.
DeBoer appears to have a notably stronger roster compared to previous Alabama head coaches, particularly with the return of dual-threat quarterback Jalen Milroe and a No. 6 preseason ranking. Moreover, he successfully stabilized the team after some initial high-profile transfers following Nick Saban’s retirement.
Alabama faces a challenging out-of-conference matchup against the Wisconsin Badgers on the road on Sept. 14, followed by a highly anticipated early SEC clash at home against the consensus No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs two weeks later.
The Tide’s schedule ranks as the ninth toughest in the SEC, intensifying significantly in the latter half of the season with games against No. 13 Tennessee, No. 11 Missouri at home, No. 10 LSU on the road, No. 18 Oklahoma away, and concluding with the prestigious Iron Bowl rivalry game against Auburn.
For DeBoer and Alabama to secure a spot in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff, the first-year head coach will need to achieve unprecedented success for the Tide. A 9-3 record likely won’t be sufficient to meet their playoff aspirations.
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