Kalen DeBoer walked into Tuscaloosa knowing he’d be measured against the ‘Saban Standard.’ But two games into 2025, it’s clear that his team lacks the Alabama ‘standard’ of discipline and execution. The sense of pride and discipline that Saban built is already slipping. Crimson Tide stumbled out of the gate with a shocking 31-17 loss to unranked Florida State. The ground game struggled terribly, giving up 230 rushing yards while barely mustering 87 themselves. Now, that’s not familiar to Saban-led Alabama, which never lost a season opener across 16 years, collecting six national titles along the way.

And now the cracks inside the locker room are starting to show. Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard has revealed that DeBoer’s style is more laid-back and player-friendly compared to Saban’s strict discipline. “Coach DeBoer is a very, very nice guy and a guy that doesn’t really like to raise his voice and get loud and yell at people,” Bernard said to NextRoundLive. “That had to change real quick. He learned that. He understood that.”  DeBoer’s approach to coaching Alabama started with a tone much less intense than what fans had been used to. But the guy quickly realized that running a program like Crimson Tide football demands more fire.

Early in the offseason, head strength coach David Ballou (with the Bama from 2020) didn’t hold back when talking about how the team’s approach should be this season. And especially after the horrendous 9-4 record. “There were results from last year that were unacceptable,” Ballou said. “Honestly, to this day, when you wake up, it still pisses you off. So that’s how we train.” That’s the type of no-nonsense approach DeBoer should instill in the locker room. “If him changing his mentality and firing guys up, yelling at guys, getting out of his comfort zone — if that’s what it’s gonna take, that’s what it’s gonna take,” Bernard adds.

“A lot of guys are leaning into that, because that’s what they’re used to being under [Nick] Saban.” Saban’s Alabama style mixed relentless discipline, sharp attention to detail, and an unmatched drive for consistency. He was the kind of coach who demanded the best out of everyone. Coaches like Kirby Smart and Lane Kiffin often shared stories of Saban’s fiery intensity. From legendary “ass-chewings” during practice to his famous lunchtime 3-on-3 basketball games, where the stakes were always high and no one was let off easy. He was continually self-scouting, tweaking strategies, and innovating schemes to stay ahead of the curve. That is who Nick Saban is. DeBoer needs to be firmer with his approach if he doesn’t really want his seat to get hotter this season.

Kalen DeBoer’s take on his hot seat chatter

Yes, that’s right, Kalen DeBoer’s seat at Alabama is heating up real fast. DeBoer’s first season saw the Crimson Tide struggle harder than fans expected from this program. He finished 9-4, their worst record since Saban’s debut in 2007. Losses to teams like Vanderbilt (breaking a 40-year drought), Oklahoma, and Tennessee left a bad impression. Plus, the crushing 31-17 defeat against unranked Florida State to start 2025 only added fuel to the fire.

Fans are loud and restless, with rallying cries of “Fire DeBoer” echoing throughout Tuscaloosa. But if Alabama were to pull the trigger on DeBoer now, it would cost a jaw-dropping $70 million buyout. His contract is locked until 2031; firing him is not a financially viable option for the program anytime soon, even if the frustration inside the fanbase and media circles continues to build. But DeBoer isn’t just sitting on his hands. He’s trying to weather this storm.

“You gotta weather the storm,” DeBoer said per 1045 ESPN’s Chris Marler.“You gotta play four quarters of football. It’s gotta be on you and the guys around you. There’s gonna be adversity, and it’s about how you respond to adversity.” And he’s rallying the team around a renewed edge, with players like quarterback Ty Simpson. Sure, he is stepping up big-time and delivering near-perfect performances with seven passing touchdowns and zero turnovers in recent games. Even so, the pressure is palpable.