Kalen DeBoer can’t catch a break! Picture this: you step into Alabama right after Nick Saban’s 17-year reign, basically walking into a hurricane. The deal was simple: keep the dynasty rolling, or you’re just another guy who couldn’t fill the GOAT’s shoes. DeBoer, coming off a perfect season at Washington, looked like the answer. Everyone thought, ‘miracle worker!’ But then came the reality check. The weight of expectations, the pressure of replacing a legend—it was a recipe for disaster. And now, after a 9-4 season that saw shocking lows, the question lingers. Will Kalen DeBoer survive in 2025? 

For Jake Crain, the answer is already clear. In a new episode of Crain & Company on March 10, he bluntly stated that Kalen DeBoer is overpaid and underachieving.

Despite a roster loaded with talent, he believes that Alabama is en route to another disappointing season. “I hold Alabama in a higher regard than everybody else,” he said and added his stance over last season. “It’s not like you inherited The Sisters of the Perpetual Poor. You had Jalen Milroe, you had these pieces. You got Ryan Williams, ended up sticking with you. I think he underachieved.” It’s a harsh take, but one rooted in what many fans feel.

Last season, the Crimson Tide experienced a high point when they knocked off Georgia and climbed to No. 1 in the weekly polls. But they collapsed in an embarrassing fashion. A 40-35 home loss to Vanderbilt? That’s the kind of loss that set Bama fans into a tailspin. Beating LSU gave them hope, but again, a disastrous loss to a .500 Oklahoma sealed their fate. No playoffs, no national championship, just a long offseason of questions. 

Jake Crain didn’t just stop in the past. He also made a possible projection for Alabama in 2025. “I’m almost projecting this one. I think he’s going to continue to underachieve,” he fired. “So sitting there at $10.25 million, I think right now, he is overpaid even after one year and then looking into the future for what he’s going to get at Alabama.” This isn’t the first time Jake Crain has shown a pessimistic mindset for Kalen DeBoer.

Back in January, he stated, “Kalen DeBoer is going to a machine that was already built. That there’s no way you can run it better than it was run. And I think it’s going to cost him in the long run.” Even Alabama’s own staff recognizes last season’s failures. 

Kane Wommack revisits the past for a possible solution 

Alabama’s DC Kane Wommack didn’t shy away from the truth when reflecting on 2024.  “I think the biggest experience we can all gain from last season is there has to be a sense of urgency to do the same high-level job every single day,” he said after Friday’s spring practice. “I don’t think it was malicious by anybody from the standpoint of maybe you have a good day here, or you’re focused here, or walking into this game versus that game. But when you have success, it should breed a sense of urgency to create more success for you. And I don’t think we handled success well as a team collectively, and I think that hurt us on the field. It obviously hurt us on the field.” 

That lack of urgency was evident. The flashes of dominance were there, but inconsistency plagued Alabama last season. Now, there’s no more Jalen Milroe. And Kalen DeBoer is staring down a tough dilemma in his QB room. Keelon Russell? Ty Simpson? Austin Mack? Who’s going to be the QB1? It’s a decision that could define his tenure. It’s going to be a make-or-break year for the second-year HC who’s yet to earn the respect and loyalty of the fanbase. 

For now, let the speculations run wild. But one thing is clear—Kalen DeBoer isn’t getting a long leash in Tuscaloosa. If 2025 doesn’t go significantly better, the noise around his job security will only get louder.