Kalen Deboer Stays True to His Old Promise as He Reflects on Challenges at Alabama Post Nick Saban’s Retirement

The expectations from Kalen DeBoer were set the moment he became Nick Saban’s successor aka the best coach in CFB history. The challenges being hurled at Kalen DeBoer are not slowing down, but rather picking up a threatening pace. After all, it’s a whopping 29 transfers we are talking about who left Alabama after Nick Saban retired. The roster vacancies look daunting for the upcoming season. While the eminent talent transfers like Kadyn Proctor and Graham Nicholson give some balmy, soothing effect, there is just one thing that can really soothe the nerves of the fans: a promise from DeBoer.

A promise to continue the grand legacy left behind by the man they revered. “It’s a privilege and an honor to be the next person to follow coach Saban,” DeBoer said, being a proud Nick Saban successor. However, the real challenge was to use all the lavish resources Nick Saban had left behind to do their best to deliver a good season. DeBoer got the foundation readymade. All he has to do now is build on it, something he is already planning to do. “He did some amazing things and led the program and built a built an infrastructure you know with Alabama football that I’ve I’m really hoping to build on. I think we got a great staff that can do that and I’m excited about that challenge,” DeBoer admitted during his interview with Paul Finebaum on his show. 

The Alabama head coach seemed pretty clear on his game plan for the season and how he would leverage the golden playbook of rules that Saban has left behind. “There are a few things that are different, but I think as much as anything you always find that there are more similarities I think between coaches no matter what their style is,” DeBoer added in his explanation of how he will be incorporating the promise he made to the Bama fans when he took over the Crimson Tide head coaching duties.

 Kalen DeBoer’s promise

Will DeBoer use the golden playbook of tried and tested methods that Saban has left behind? The question was a major query plaguing the fans since DeBoer joined Alabama. DeBoer finally gave the answer for this on the Andy Staples Show, settling down the nerves of the fans. “The tradition will continue,” Saban said authoritatively, assuring the fans of seeing Saban’s ways being continued in Crimson Tide.

Getting some Alabama Crimson Tide standard talents on the roster is the biggest challenge on DeBoer’s hands. The Crimson Tide has not only lost a majority of its players to the transfer portal but also some game-pivoting players like Terrion Arnold and Kool-Aid McKinstry to the NFL. Filling in the positions of these talents would be the first major challenge for Kalen DeBoer at Crimson Tide, a challenge that he is ready to take head-on.