MOBILE, Ala. — Kalen DeBoer knows Alabama football has to be better. Standing outside of Hancock Whitney Stadium for the 2025 Senior Bowl, the Alabama football coach harkened back to his expectation for the Crimson Tide when he first took the job: to perform at a championship level.

Kalen DeBoer’s first season as Alabama football’s head coach didn’t meet expectations. There’s plenty of places where a nine-win season and a bowl appearance would be cause for celebration under a new coach, but Tuscaloosa isn’t one of them, especially after Nick Saban’s tenure.

Kalen DeBoer's first season at the helm of the Alabama football program was one of incredibly high highs and extremely low lows. From a top-five victory against Georgia and a No. 1 overall ranking to unranked losses to Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, and Michigan, the Crimson Tide faithful went through it in 2024.

State champions Jackson, Thompson and Parker each placed two on the Alabama Sports Writers Association Super All-State team, a list of the top 12 high school football players in Alabama for 2024 regardless of classification.

Alabama football did not look the same in 2024 without Nick Saban at head coach. The Crimson Tide hired former Washington coach Kalen DeBoer to take over for Saban after his shocking retirement in January 2024.

Kalen DeBoer's first season as Alabama's head football coach is widely believed to be a major flop when looking at it from the "Bama Standard" Nick Saban set. Keeping that aside, DeBoer has done a commendable job with a four-loss season and largely in everything he has done after the conclusion of their season.

But he did lose his right-hand man from his days as the Huskies HC, and there are rumors the two could be getting together in Tuscaloosa... Kalen DeBoer leaving the light on for R

Alabama football coach Kalen DeBoer spoke about Ryan Grubb, Jason Jones and many other topics during a visit to the 2025 Senior Bowl.