With each passing day, the pressure on Kalen DeBoer cranks up—it’s boom or backlash. He cannot afford to make any mistakes. And now, the recent setback? If things do not improve with Ryan Williams, this season could quickly go downhill. However, DeBoer is not standing still; he is making significant moves. One of those moves is happening right in front of us with Ryan Grubb. Now, bringing Grubb back should’ve been a game changer, but even that decision echoes past mistakes, raising doubts.

Well, Kalen DeBoer is facing a season that will make or break him. He must get Bama to the playoffs—no excuses, no shortcuts—because if he fails, his job could be at risk. He knows it. But what will give him the best chance of succeeding? Now talking about that, ESPN’s Cole Cubelic is pointing the finger at the receiver room.

He said, “I think Ryan Williams is amazing. I think he’s in—I think he’s kind of forgotten about going into this offseason. I would have him as a top five player returning in all of college football. We know he can be special, but you honestly can’t win with one anymore.” There’s no doubt that Ryan is an exceptional player. This guy is just 17 and has shown his well-paced game by scoring 48 receptions for 865 yards and 8 touchdowns.

Moreover, Cole also highlights the fact that with time, Bama has changed a lot in all these years. Back then they could force-feed one elite receiver (Cooper) with a massive target share, and defenses still couldn’t stop him. “I mean, this is not like the Lane Kiffin and Amari Cooper days where you dial it up to him 158 times during the season and people just can’t cover him, so you have to have that complement,” Cubelic said. That’s a straight fact.

In 2014, Lane Kiffin ran Alabama’s offense, and Amari Cooper was the key to their success—catching 124 passes for 1,727 yards and 16 touchdowns. Kiffin’s old strategy was simple: feed the star player. It worked for a while, but times have changed. Defenses are smarter now, and you need multiple threats to win big in college football. If Alabama expects Ryan Williams to carry the entire load, they are inviting trouble.

Now it’s not like Kalen DeBoer doesn’t have a strong wide receiver room. The team already has Germie Bernard, and with Ryan Grubb’s presence, they might also acquire two highly talented players like WR Tristen Keys and ATH Brandon Arrington. But let’s just hope that Ryan Grubb’s return doesn’t just mean more of the same old problems.

Kalen DeBoer’s Bama might be on the verge of repeating history with Ryan Grubb

Now, with OC Ryan Grubb back in Tuscaloosa, it’s time to see what he and Kalen DeBoer can build together. The best part? DeBoer finally has his handpicked quarterback. After a weird season with Jalen Milroe, he gets to move forward with his guy. And that’s none other than Keelon Russell, who’s an elite playmaker in the 2025 class. But what’s concerning is that throwing a true freshman into the fire doesn’t seem very smart. Their history hasn’t been kind to that approach.

Yes, you read that right. Just look at Austin Mack’s condition. Both Ryan Grubb and DeBoer handpicked him at Washington, had him reclassified early, and brought him in ahead of schedule. Plus, he even made his move to Tuscaloosa, but what’s the point if you never play, right? Even 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins highlights the same thing: “We have not heard much about Austin Mack really since he’s arrived in Tuscaloosa. We haven’t seen anything from him in terms of on-field context. I don’t know how it’s going to play out.” And there’s no way Kalen DeBoer and the team can repeat it with Keelon Russell.

A year ago, Mack, who was on Washington’s depth chart, chose to forgo his final year of high school at Folsom—like former Huskies great Jake Browning—to join DeBoer ahead of schedule. His plan was to learn under Michael Penix Jr. He never took a snap; but that didn’t seem to bother him, as he said, “I watched Mike work; that experience was incredible.” But what’s the whole point of learning if you don’t get a chance to play? That’s the question Alabama now faces with Russell.

Moreover, Russell’s accuracy as a passer is exceptional, especially considering his raw talent, making him one of the best in the 2025 class. And halfway through his final season, his career completion percentage was 70.8%, the best among Top247 players. And if they wait too long, they might waste a special talent. DeBoer and Grubb have a tough call to make. Now let’s just hope Ryan Grubb and Kalen DeBoer don’t repeat the same things with Ryan Williams and Keelon Russell.