Bama Nation is buzzing, and not in the way you’d hope. Just as Coach Kalen DeBoer settles into his second season at the helm of Alabama football, fans are already side-eyeing his loyalty. But this isn’t about a secret job offer or some behind-the-scenes drama—it’s about something much closer to home: his daughter.

Yep, Alexis DeBoer, a highly ranked softball recruit, 11th in the class of 2024, just made her college debut for the Washington Huskies, the very school her pops left behind to take over at Alabama. And Kalen? He pulled up courtside (or, uh, dugoutside) to support his kid while his school went head-to-head with her school. The same Washington Huskies he dipped on to come run things in Tuscaloosa. You already know Bama fans had a lot to say.

This ain’t just a casual little family moment either. This was the season opener. The man had to sit there and watch his new squad go to war against his daughter and her squad. And the internet had one big question—where does DeBoer’s heart really lie? Is he rolling with Roll Tide, or is he low-key still barking for the Huskies?

To be fair, Alexis DeBoer had already committed to Washington before Kalen even stepped foot in Washington. She wasn’t about to switch up just because her dad took a new gig. The Huskies’ softball program is elite under HC Heather Tarr, and she wanted to be part of it even after her pops dipped to Bama paycheck.

Still, the timing of this whole situation is wild. The season opener lined up perfectly for chaos. Bama pulled up on Washington in Phoenix for the Candrea Classic, and right there in the Huskies’ lineup? Freshman infielder Alexis DeBoer. And sitting in the stands? Kalen and Nicole DeBoer, watching their daughter go 1-for-3 at the plate while Alabama’s pitchers did their thing.

Bama ended up winning 5-1, so at least DeBoer didn’t have to watch his team get folded in real time, unlike his football team. But man, the way fans are reacting, you’d think he just showed up to a Georgia tailgate in a Dawgs hoodie.

Fans ain’t having it: ‘Where’s your loyalty, coach?’

When a Reddit user dropped the news in the ‘Roll Tide’ community, Bama fans lost their minds. The fanbase split right down the middle. Half of ‘em were all, ‘Nah, let that man support his daughter,’ while the other half basically accused him of high-key betrayal.

The fans started with a loyalty fit-check question: “Is he going to wear one of those house-divided jerseys?”–Look, we’ve seen it before. Parents rocking split jerseys, showing love to both sides. Amon-Ra and Equanimeous St. Brown’s folks did it for the Lions-Packers rivalry. Some Dad in March Madness rocked UNC/Alabama jerseys a few months back. So would DeBoer rock half-Washington, half-Bama? Honestly, the visual alone would set the internet on fire.

This fan questioned Kalen DeBoer’s priority: “Getting her to Tuscaloosa should have been his first priority once he got hired. She was one of the top players in her recruiting class last year.” But let’s be real—if Kalen DeBoer had pulled some strings to get her on Alabama’s squad, y’all know people would literally be crying about favoritism.

This fan came up with a diabolical take. “Yeah, he’s employed by Alabama… but he’s pulling for Washington. And he should.” This is the rare level-headed take. Man’s a father first. He spent 18 years hyping up his daughter, and y’all expect him to suddenly go boooo when she steps up to bat? Come on now.

The next user wrote an entire paragraph on the situation: “It has always kind of surprised me how often the children of college coaches attend school where their parent is employed. I really don’t think I’d want that for my kids. I wouldn’t stop them if it’s what they wanted to do, but people can go way overboard with sports and I would not want them to catch shit from some asshole who is unhappy with my job performance.” Fact! Imagine Alexis hitting a slump and some random Alabama fan blaming her for Kalen’s play-calling. Nepo kid or not, sometimes it’s best to stay out of Dad’s workplace.

The last user said, “Dilemma for DeBoer.” Short, sweet, and accurate. Man really gotta choose between job loyalty and fatherhood in front of millions of sports-obsessed fans. Tough scene.

Look, end of the day, we all know who Kalen DeBoer’s rooting for; it’s a no-brainer. DeBoer ain’t the first coach to get caught up in a family vs. football saga. Alabama fans are already skeptical about him after a 9-4 debut season, and now they are questioning his heart over a softball game. But let’s be real—if the Tide go 13-0 or 12-1 and makes the playoff next year? Then nobody is gonna care that he was sitting in Washington gear for his daughter’s first at-bat.