“It’s Not Like That Anywhere”: Kalen Deboer’s Confidant Spills the Beans on Alabama’s Recruitment Revival After Early Struggles in Post-Nick Saban Era

Kalen DeBoer is in the hot seat. Now that his debut season draws near and he replaces the legendary Nick Saban, the new Alabama HC carries a burden of expectations with himself. But there’s good news for DeBoer. On July 23, the Alabama Crimson Tide GM, Courtney Morgan, was all sunshine and rainbow about the current player roster.

The recruitment revival buzzes with support that would make it easier for DeBoer. Initially, the new HC’s world tumbled down when back-to-back 39 players opted out of Crimson Tide after Saban called it off with Alabama.

Morgan’s positive take on why Alabama stands out in recruiting

According to reports, Alabama 2025 Football Commits stands at an overall ranking of No. 2 right after Ohio State and before Georgia. DeBoer’s squad has done something extraordinary this season as they have secured the commitment of 22 recruits. Here’s what Morgan had to say about the recruitment revival. He started giving a shoutout to the players for having an eye for all things great, “The desire to be great and desire to win…our players welcome great players.”

The GM then cut to the chase by zoning in why Alabama has an edge over the other programs. The difference lies in the culture. The Crimson Tide roster practices an open mindset, “It’s not like that anywhere. Some school players feel threatened if you bring five-stars but if you look at our players… we have five really really good ones who have posted their commitment on social media.” The GM gave OL Tyler Brooker and OL Wilkin Formby special credit for welcoming the recruits with open arms. Of the 22, the Crimson Tide 2025 roster consists of five 5-star recruits, fourteen 4-star recruits, and two 3-star recruits. This has been a considerable pump-up after the particularly sub-par 2024 season.     

Nick Saban’s departure and the domino effect

The start of 2024 has been a bumpy ride for Crimson Tide. Saban had been in the players’ good books and had earned their trust for an almost unmatched standard for recruiting excellence. And it took no time to create a ripple effect. On January 10, the news shook the sports world to its core. The Crimson Tide was coming off a 12-win season when the legendary coach hung up his headset. 

The first player who lost faith in Alabama and opted out of Tuscaloosa right after Saban’s departure was the “Gravedigger” Isaiah Bond. Known for his game-winning catch on 4th-and-31 in the Iron Bowl, Bond transferred to Texas. After him, it was time for Caleb Downs, one of the best freshmen in Alabama history, to bid goodbye. 

The domino effect continued, with players falling out of the Crimson Tide roster one after the other. It took Kalen DeBoer’s squad to lose 39 gems. It’s time to wait and see how Saban’s successor concocts the best of the winning scheme, using the 2025 roster.