Ending the season with a crushing loss against Michigan, Kalen DeBoer’s first season in Alabama was not what he would have expected. But was DeBoer’s debut really a disappointment? When you’re stepping into the shoes of the greatest college football coach of all time, the bar is set sky-high. Still, DeBoer [9-4] in his first season actually outshines Nick Saban’s [7-6] debut with the Crimson Tide. Even Saban said that DeBoer needs to be given time because there’s more than one way to skin a cat.

“He can’t be me, he can’t try to be somebody that he isn’t. I think it’s an adjustment for a lot of the fans and people,” Saban said on DeBoer during the 2024 season. No doubt the Crimson Tide have found a winner in DeBoer who knows how to get the job done on a gridiron field. But mind you, DeBoer is not Saban. When it comes to recruiting, former Alabama HC was an animal, who didn’t just secure commitments from top high school prospects but consistently molded them into future NFL stars.

In his book, ‘Saban: The Making of a Coach,‘ the legendary HC once asked the then-athletic director Mal Moore if he thought the Crimson Tide had the best coach in NCAA football. Moore, without hesitating, said ‘yes, of course.‘ But Saban the perfectionist replied, “Well, you didn’t — I’m nothing without my players. But you did just hire a helluva recruiter.”

So, now the question comes, is DeBoer a ‘helluva recruiter?’

Say it Saban’s influence or the ripple effect of his retirement but when Kalen was announced Alabama’s HC, Ryan Williams, who was committed to the Crimson Tide, turned his back after Saban’s retirement. Ultimately, DeBoer was able to convince Williams after a midair call, who took 12 days to recommit—highlights just how relentless of a recruiter DeBoer truly was. Well, it may take some time for DeBoer to master the recruitment but Alabama HC finally seems to be finding his stride. Often doubted about his ability to recruit in the Southeast, the former Washington HC has achieved a significant recruiting milestone ahead of the 2025 season.

DeBoer stepped into a real trial by fire at Alabama, taking on the massive task left behind by Nick Saban. Now, everyone knew the former Washington HC could coach—his on-field record spoke for itself. He was new to the area, having spent his career in the Midwest or on the West Coast, so he hadn’t had much time to build connections there. This naturally led to some worries about landing top recruits. If the recent developments are anything to go by, DeBoer is bringing good talents to the table for the Crimson Tide… a quiet show of strength for the head coach, who was under scrutiny not long ago.

DeBoer, fresh off getting the Alabama gig, basically said, ‘Recruiting? I’m on it,’ even though he was stepping into a whole new world. ”I’ve recruited in the Southeast from other locations but not from down here and living in the South. So, I feel like it was really important to surround myself with staff—both coaching staff and recruiting staff—that had those geographical ties, those connections. People who understood the classes that were upcoming… where that talent lay and had some relationships. I think it fell into place well,” he said.

The strategy and confidence are highly paying off for the Tide so far. DeBoer initially had to struggle with the mass exodus and the one-way portal outflow following Nick Saban’s departure. But as soon as the portal opened on both sides, he filled up the losses with a series of recruits, bolstering the class of 2025. Now, it seems he’s making things big in the 2026 class as well. Just a few days ago, Kalen DeBoer and his coaching staff landed their second verbal commitment for the ’26 haul.

Cornerback Zyan Gibson was the first one to take the plunge. IOL Chris Booker from Atlanta, GA, is the second one to commit to Tuscaloosa. And Georgia edge rusher Jamarion Matthews just hopped on board with Bama this week, becoming the third commit of the class. With this, Alabama has jumped 49 spots in the On3 2026 recruiting ranking in a span of 24 hours. Right now, their ’26 class is sitting at 11th in the country and 6th in the SEC, according to On3.

Alabama has already had a blueblood status in recruiting since the golden Saban era, and athletes are still fascinated to come down to Tuscaloosa and see themselves on the quintessential red jerseys. So, you are free to launch a debate about whether it’s truly DeBoer’s credit or he is just reaping the lingering benefit of Nick Saban’s good work. But that doesn’t necessarily dismiss DeBoer’s point as a class recruiter. Being a top recruiter just means the pressure’s on to win even bigger.

Can Kalen DeBoer dodge the stern job ultimatum in a breakout season? 

SEC Mike of ‘The SEC Football Podcast’ reflected on the future prospects and the hopes and challenges surrounding  DeBoer. “I think most people have Alabama probably as the number five roster but it may be better than that. Where you know seven eight wins is if you have the best roster. If they don’t win 10 or more, I would fire his (DeBoer) a**,” Mike dished a stern ultimatum.

Well, Alabama is currently ranked 4th overall in their recruitment roster of 2025 (with 18 enrolled and nine transfers) and gained a significant edge in the class of 2026. But can they chisel the best out of them and mount a bigger season this time? Sure, but DeBoer needs to work on his persistent QB issues to avoid another heartbreak.

Bama already has three 5-star-rated prospects, like Keelon Russell (QB), Michael Carroll (IOL), and Dijon Lee (CB). But can they alone stage a 10-win season? No, it’s all about a balanced strength in all positions and the minimization of certain drawbacks rather than a single quality obsession. They need to sort out the QB problem they had in Jalen Milroe, who was constantly catching fire for his poor performances last season. This year they’ve got Russell, Austin Mack, and Ty Simpson all battling for the starting spot now. They really need to show some serious reps at the spring game.

If they end up with another 9-4 season and more playoff heartbreak, that massive $70 million buyout–yeah, the one that was supposed to keep DeBoer safe—won’t stop them from making a change. That kind of money doesn’t mean much when you’re staring down another disappointing year.