When Nick Saban first arrived at Tuscaloosa, Alabama, “it was like Michael Jordan arriving at O’Hare in his prime and walking through the airport,” Jon Gilbert, a former Alabama staffer had said, “It was a very surreal moment.” Right from that moment on, Saban, who believed in first impressions, told Todd Alles, one of his first hires as director of football operations, to gather everyone in the building. Not just the who’s who but anyone who worked in any capacity with the program, for a 3:00 pm meeting.

Saban walked in and delivered a message that has served as the mainstay of his Alabama success. “Everything we do,” Saban began, “is about recruiting. Everything we do.” And how did he pull it off? focusing on that very ‘first impression’. Saban said if anyone walked into the building and the bathrooms were dirty, it’d make the program look bad. Same if the floors weren’t properly swept. “This place has to be show-ready 100 percent of the time,” was Saban’s prescription.

Saban announcing his retirement in a team meeting on Jan 14 a year ago was a shocker, something that hasn’t quite yet dissipated. Concerns surrounding the foundation Saban built are now standing rather precariously under the tenancy of Kalen DeBoer, considering Bama’s activity in the transfer portal hasn’t done anything to quell these concerns. After a relatively poor season by their high standards, this offseason was pivotal. Somehow, they’ve gone further backward.

A mass exodus of 5-star recruits out of Alabama ensued. Within hours of Saban’s announcement, Ryan Williams, a five-star recruit and the No. 9-ranked prospect (No. 3 wideout) on ESPN’s 300 2024, recommitted. Just two days after it, another 5-star wide receiver Jaime Ffrench followed suit. This, in tandem with them losing key players like Jihaad Campbell, Jalen Milroe, and Tyler Booker to the NFL, has people wondering one thing. Is Alabama throwing its weight around enough? This blueblood behemoth has surely gotta have more in the tank than it is letting off. That notion is true, and one Bama alum is making sure to let Kalen DeBoer and the powers know that.

Mick Gillispie of the “Bama Tailgate” YouTube channel relayed an interesting bit of information. He shared a list of the top 5 most valuable college athletic programs. Ohio State is atop the list with a gaudy $1.32B valuation. They’re followed by the two Lone Star rivals, Texas and Texas A&M, with $1.28B and $1.26B, respectively. Michigan comes in at #4 with 1.02B. Lastly, Alabama closes out the list with a $978 million valuation cumulative of their different sports. Most of this number, though, is certainly a result of their football program. Mick Gillispie voiced his disdain over how this money isn’t translating to roster quality and performance for Kalen DeBoer to work with.

“Ohio State went out and spent almost $30 million on the transfer portal and they’re going to win the national championship on Monday. Texas, look at what they’re worth, $1.28 billion, guess where they were, the college football play off. Michigan won it last year they’re worth over a billion. We can’t figure out why Texas A&M isn’t able to take advantage of their money but there’s Alabama at number five just under a billion dollars reported,” Gillispie said.

“I’ve always felt like some of that money is not showing up where it should be,” remarked Gillispie. “The bottom line is this…these schools can take advantage of this system. That includes Alabama…I think that’s what we’re seeing right now obviously with Ohio State.” The Buckeyes deploy the most expensive roster in the history of CFB, but are clearly reaping the rewards of this investment.

“You cannot let Ohio State, Texas, Michigan and Texas A&M, and the schools below you, have better rosters than you. Because there’s the resources there to do something about it,” said Gillespie. This came from a place of worrying that Bama could get left behind as the sport enters a new era.

Top Comment by Indidious

DeBoer is a bum… Bama will continue to sink until they cut bait! Another year or two max!

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Debate

For years, Bama recruited the best talent out of high school. Saban was a huge pull for kids to come to Tuscaloosa to develop. When the art of recruitment became more of a science after the advent of NIL, Bama’s allure slowly started disappearing. If NIL brought about parity, then Kalen DeBoer, or whoever would have succeeded the proverbial GOAT, puts Bama behind the 8-ball. After a poor year 1, this gap is only increasing. Those in power to change the tide know this. Athletic Director Greg Byrne is making moves to put Alabama back on the high pedestal. Saban or DeBoer, this program cannot have blips like 2024. But is that ever going to happen? Hear from the GOAT himself.

Last year, Nick Saban stressed to Pat McAfee that Kalen DeBoer cannot attempt to replicate what the 17-year Alabama head coach did in Tuscaloosa. Instead, Saban stressed that DeBoer needs to bring his style to the Crimson Tide head coaching job. Saban thinks he will. And that it will work.

“I do think this is a tough transition for Kalen,” Saban said on the October 18, 2024 edition of The Pat McAfee Show. “Any time you take over a successful program — I don’t want to be judgmental about what they do, because I feel like he has to do what he does his way. He can’t be me. He can’t try to be somebody that he isn’t. I think there’s more than one way to skin a cat, and I actually the guy has been successful and I think his way will work.”

“I think it’s an adjustment for a lot of fans and the people. But I think he’ll win them over because he’s a good guy and he’s a good coach. He’s got a good system, a good organization. I’m just trying to be supportive and helpful any way that I can so he can make a smooth transition.”

In one sense, DeBoer is on Saban’s trajectory. Just like Saban lost to Louisiana-Monroe in 2007, DeBoer now has his own unacceptable loss: a 40-35 loss to Vanderbilt as a three-score favorite. Still, DeBoer is in a better position, probably. He got two of the greatest recruiting classes (2021, 2023) ever, and while there were plenty of transfers since Saban’s retirement, there was still leftover talent than any new head coach has ever had. Realistically, he probably never could be another Saban. Saban built a dynasty at the University of Alabama. DeBoer just needs to keep it going. And he might find some support as well.

Help may be on the way for Kalen DeBoer to rub shoulders on the big-boy table

Greg Byrne took to X in an open plea to the Bama faithful. He spoke about the overarching introduction of NIL and how it has changed the dynamic of recruitment. An excerpt from his open letter read,” There’s a time for talk and a time for action. Now is a time for action. Although we have been competitive from an NIL standpoint, our competition has us in their sights and are actively trying to surge ahead with NIL.”

“You have heard examples of other teams using promises of million-dollar paydays to lure away our players or convince them not to come to Alabama. It is time for the Bama Nation to fight back.” Byrne proceeded to lay out the details of Alabama’s NIL official fund-raising entity, “Yea Alabama.”

This entity allowed the school to garner funds via “legitimate products” such as merchandise and exclusive content. This is a more reciprocal give-back to the fans in exchange for their money rather than a simple donation. Byrne explicitly stated that the school aims to expand its current offerings via “Yea Alabama” alongside more diverse content.

“At Alabama, we’ve not measured ourselves against our competition. We are the standard, and that measurement is against the mirror and against a rich and proud history, but it’s impossible to ignore what is taking place in college athletics. Hungry fan bases are acting decisively to give their respective programs competitive advantages. We must respond. We are Alabama,” said Greg Byrne in a powerful conclusion to his plea.

Kalen DeBoer is a great coach; we’ve seen that with Washington at his last stop. But good coaching isn’t enough. He needs the tools. Their failed attempts at adding a new QB1 to replace the departing Jalen Milroe are a microcosm of their poor portal window. Things need to change, pronto.