For the entirety of the Nick Saban era in Alabama, heading into the Bryant-Denny was akin to going to a bar on the weekend. You knew you’re about to get battered and then leave empty-handed. Multiple championships were won, and hordes of talent got developed. The house that Saban built has been a revolving door of high-rated recruits. Tuscaloosa has seen more 5-stars than downtown LA. They’ve produced more NFL players than any program. Now, the responsibility to keep adding to this rich history sits on Kalen DeBoer’s shoulders. All while he tries to get his feet set after an underwhelming first season. A litmus test that will challenge DeBoer’s resolve is QB Keelon Russell. 

The term “true freshman” just doesn’t equate the same in the current makeup of CFB. The days of cagey high schoolers making the step-up are almost a thing of the past. No more cagey, only courageous. Athletes now are ready off the cuff. Bama’s own Ryan William is a testament to this. In fact, Ryan Williams’ taking to college like a duck to water presents Kalen DeBoer with a conundrum. Start 5-star Keelon Russell from the onset, or keep him away from the deep end as he learns his ropes? One one end, DeBoer’s job security is under threat. He needs results in the immediate. Thrusting a true freshman into the lineup is reciprocal to that. On the other, Russell is likely the most talented player in the quarterback room. It’s a dilemma, alright. However, one Bama fan/insider has alleviated DeBoer of the pressure.

Over the “Locked on Bama” podcast, host Luke Robinson acknowledges that the offense will need time to settle into the year. Even if Russell is sat next year, both his contemporaries, Austin Mack and Ty Simpson, also have 0 college starts to their name. Owing to this, the onus falls on the other side of the football. “I think it’s a veteran team, especially on defense, and that works out great,” remarked Robinson. He proceeded to imply he’s prepared to give Kalen DeBoer’s offense- his forte- more time. Time that the more radical fans and members of the media reckon is at a premium for DeBoer.

“While the other areas can play catch up a little bit…I’m good with the defense next year being our senior leaders, or our experienced leaders. They can allow for the offense to get its feet under…we can allow the offense to make a few mistakes while the defense holds the fort,” stated Luke Robinson. A fair rationale and one that Kalen DeBoer will be glad to hear. That said, the pressure doesn’t fully dissipate. 

A vocal majority of Bama fans will remain firm in their stance. They afforded DeBoer a year for growing pains. Taking over the mantle from Saban meant he was bound to be drinking from a poisoned chalice. The sheen from coach DeBoer’s Washington stint dulls with each misstep. Now that he’s got his previous offensive coordinator, Ryan Grubb, down in Tuscaloosa, the leash only gets shorter and tighter. The Bama brass won’t hesitate to at least consider pulling the trigger on his $70M buyout. There are no excuses; bar the obvious one with the quarterback. Which segues into whether Keelon Russell will indeed be atop the depth chart come fall.

Pros and cons of Kalen DeBoer giving into starting the shiny new toy in Keelon Russell

Russell’s case for being atop the depth chart as a true freshman is pretty airtight. He’s the Gatorade National Football POTY, for starters. He threw for over 4000 yards and 55 TDs in his senior year at Duncanville. He’s spearheaded them to 2 state championships. Now, he’s just added a feather to his proverbial cap that no other player who ever wore Crimson can claim. Keelon Russell has been rated 100 on the 247Sports composite ranking. This makes him the highest-rated recruit in Bama history. Plus, Russell has no experienced quarterback to contend with. That said, both Mack and Simpson have had time to sit behind Jalen Milroe and develop. They’ve been in the facility longer, and that Bama culture tends to be brushed off.

So which direction does he head down? DeBoer can seek to kick his Bama career into gear with a fresh project and clean slate in Keelon Russell. Both DeBoer and Grubb can mold him in their exact vision. If Russell succeeds, it’ll earn DeBoer the reverence and captivation of the fanbase as well as time. Conversely, he can make Russell prove his worth and keep him more grounded as he enters this crucial phase of his career. Something more in line with convention. Being Alabama’s QB1 is a heavy weight to shoulder even for someone with ones as strong as Milroe.

Kalen DeBoer is stuck between a rock and a hard place. He knew what he was walking into, which is why he doesn’t need pity. That said, the standards that the program and fans have set for themselves do need some adjustment. It’s no more the era when Bama essentially has dibs on every top recruit. NIL has brought about parity, and the playing field is naturally more level. This is a new era, and a blank canvas sans any nostalgia for the past will perhaps serve all parties better. Like it or not, that past is not replicable. DeBoer will have to carve his own lane, away from the trail Nick Saban blazed.