From the moment Kalen DeBoer took over for Nick Saban at Alabama, the comparisons never stopped haunting him. Every loss reinforced the narrative that he was a poor fit to fill Saban’s shoes and intensified the criticism from fans. But things got tougher for DeBoer because Saban never actually left Alabama, and their former players straight-up pointed towards it.

“I think it’s hard when you have people over your shoulder, particularly when you have an icon or someone back there; he’s talking to your players still,” NFL analyst and former Alabama safety George Teague said on the Paul Finebaum show. “Again, this isn’t bad stuff, okay? It’s just I can’t imagine me trying to set my old standard in the weight room, on the field, or in this, and maybe a player’s calling the coach, “Hey man, I really don’t like this. What’s going on, you know?'”

“Or, I really miss you, Coach, you know? All these other kinds of things, and DeBoer, being a nice coach, said, ‘Hey man, I just need him to be around. I’m glad he’s here,'” he added.

While DeBoer politely welcomes his predecessor, having players vent to Nick Saban actively undermines locker-room buy-in. When a new staff member installs fresh schemes or tougher weight room standards, that open door to Saban’s office provides an easy out, which ultimately stalls the culture shift DeBoer desperately needs to succeed.

Even after retiring, Nick Saban still works for the University of Alabama, but not as a coach anymore. He is part of the athletic department, which means he helps the sports programs in general. His job is more like giving advice and support. He helps the football team and staff when needed, but he does not run practices or games.

Moreover, Saban also has an office in Alabama. So even after retiring, he is still around the program and can stay involved in a smaller role. Now, his presence constantly puts DeBoer and Saban in comparison, not just in front of fans but also in front of the players. DeBoer faced it big time when Alabama lost against Vanderbilt after 40 years in the 2024 season, and he was instantly in the hot seat.

Then came their tough loss against Florida State during last year’s season opener. Losing against a 2-10 team instantly drew a lot of criticism for DeBoer, plus comparisons to Nick Saban instantly made their way towards him. It’s not like Kalen DeBoer didn’t have his own success at Alabama; he took the team to a 9-4 season in his first year and even gave them a championship run last year until their first-round loss against Indiana. But that’s never enough.

Because everyone looks at him through Nick Saban’s six championship wins lens. Even Cam Newton pointed out the same last year on how, even with all the success, DeBoer is constantly judged.

“Kalen DeBoer, the boobirds and the tweets will come back again,” Newton said. “Certain jobs in college football just require you to always be good. Not sometimes being good, always being good.”

But this isn’t the first time a new coach has faced problems in meeting expectations at Alabama because of past legends. After Bear Bryant retired, Ray Perkins did a good job and won games, but people were not fully satisfied because he did not win a national championship. Then, after him, Gene Stallings won a national title, which is a big success, but even then, he was still compared to Bryant and couldn’t completely escape his shadow.

Other coaches like Mike DuBose had some success too, but not enough to meet Alabama’s high expectations, so they eventually all had to leave. Now, if the pressure continues, even Kalen DeBoer might have to follow the same path as them.

Kalen DeBoer’s future relies on QB1

Alabama started spring practice on March 8. They plan to hold four practice sessions before taking a break for spring break, the week of March 15. During these practices, a competition is starting between quarterbacks Austin Mack and Keelon Russell to see who will lead the team.

Although it might look like a normal offseason QB battle, this choice could have a big impact on DeBoer’s career in Tuscaloosa. Now, choosing the wrong QB can impact their game and DeBoer’s future with the team. One more season without a championship run can be problematic for him.

In his first two seasons as Alabama’s head coach, DeBoer relied on quarterbacks chosen by former head coach Nick Saban. First, he worked with the very athletic Jalen Milore, and then with the experienced Ty Simpson, who is also the coach’s son. This season, both Austin Mack and Keelon Russell are hand-picked by DeBoer, which adds extra pressure for them to perform well.

If either Mack or Russell becomes a top player, it proves that DeBoer and his staff made the right choice. If not, the pressure on DeBoer grows even more. Now, let’s wait and see if Kalen DeBoer’s able to come out of Nick Saban’s shadow or not this season.