Ex-ESPN Analyst Makes Kalen DeBoer Stance Clear as Hot Seat Debate Grows Around Alabama HC

It’s one thing to stumble in the post-Saban world. It’s another thing to trip flat on your face in front of the whole country, and that’s exactly what Alabama did down in Tallahassee. A brand-new season, and the Tide already left fans wondering if they’re watching a program drifting further from its golden standard. Nick Saban’s shadow is enormous, but Kalen DeBoer just got buried under it after only one week into Year Two.

Through 14 games, DeBoer is sitting at 9–5, and after the 31–17 collapse against unranked Florida State, he’s now tied Saban in a brutal category: the same number of losses to unranked opponents. The catch? Saban took 17 years to get there. DeBoer? Just over a season. That’s the kind of stat line that burns into Alabama fans’ patience. To make it worse, Alabama surrendered 31 points in a season opener for the first time since 2001. That’s not just a disappointing loss; that’s historically barbaric.

Chris Low, the former ESPN analyst, sees it through a different lens. Jumping on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning, Low didn’t mince words: “Kalen has probably taken on the toughest replacement job in football I can remember, Cole, and in all the years I’ve been doing this, I can’t think of another one that’s really close to this. He comes in after Alabama had gone to the playoff, had won the SEC title—so it’s not like he was taking over a program that he was rebuilding. And that’s probably made it even worse.”

Low kept it blunt but also made sure to tip his hat to DeBoer’s pedigree, reminding folks why Alabama still went all-in on him. “He’s smart. He’s been successful at every stop, and the people who’ve coached with him, against him, or played for him, they all respect the way he runs a program.”

DeBoer’s résumé backs that up. Three NAIA championships at Sioux Falls. A major turnaround at Fresno State. A Washington run that peaked with a 13–0 record and a Pac-12 title in 2023. Low doubled down: “But this is a different animal at Alabama. And when you have the kind of inconsistency that they’ve shown—and play the way that they have, really, probably more accurately, don’t do some of the things that they’ve not done in the last 10 games—you’re going to open a door to this kind of thing. I think that’s where we are right now. I still think they’re good enough and talented enough, Cole, to turn this thing around and be a… playoff team—and be a team that’s there in the conversation in November. But some things have got to change.” Exactly.

The Seminoles didn’t just sneak by Alabama; they outplayed them in every phase. The Tide managed only 87 rushing yards on 29 carries, their weakest ground game in a season opener since 1975. Ty Simpson flexed borderline potential, throwing for 254 yards and 2 touchdowns, but the offensive line left him exposed, giving up three sacks. Germie Bernard was the lone bright spot, hauling in 8 catches for 146 yards, but with no run game to balance the attack, Alabama was predictable and easy to defend.

Defensively, the Tide looked soft against the run, giving up 230 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns. Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos piled up 152 passing yards and another 78 on the ground, including a rushing score. Low pointed to this inconsistency, saying, “I’ve been to practice. I’ve watched them practice. They get after it. It’s physical. Players are held accountable. The tempo, the pace of practice, is exactly what you expect it to be. But they haven’t played key games to that level.”

Alabama’s fall in the AP Poll was just as telling as the loss itself. Dropping from No. 8 to No. 21 marked their steepest Week 1 fall ever. For a fanbase built on dominance and championships, it was an embarrassment. Injuries only compounded the issues: Ryan Williams, their star receiver, left with a concussion, while Isaiah Horton and Jah-Marien Latham picked up lower-body injuries. The Tide didn’t just walk away beaten; they left banged up and searching for answers.

The criticism grows sharper when looking at DeBoer’s last ten games. Counting the late-season collapse at Washington and Alabama’s current struggles, he’s just 5–5. For a coach stepping into Saban’s throne, that’s a stat nobody in Tuscaloosa will tolerate for long. DeBoer acknowledged the frustration after the FSU game, emphasizing the team’s resilience and work ethic. But fans don’t want speeches — they want results, and the scoreboard isn’t showing them yet.

Nick Saban backs Kalen DeBoer after brutal season opener

Here’s the unexpected turn: Nick Saban, the man DeBoer succeeded, isn’t calling for change. In fact, he’s standing in DeBoer’s corner. “If you’re gonna be successful, you gotta be able to self-assess,” Saban said. “I know he’s reaching out to a lot of people trying to do that.” The comment suggests DeBoer is already leaning on outside voices for perspective, even after just one week of the season.

That raises questions. If the head coach is already searching for answers beyond his own staff, what does that say about the trust inside the building? Typically, self-assessment and course correction happen after months of struggles, not days. And really, what assistant is going to risk his job by telling DeBoer he’s the issue? This dynamic paints a picture of a coach scrambling to steady the ship while critics circle.

Saban, though, believes the ship can be fixed. He stressed that Alabama still has the talent to reach the playoff. And technically, everything DeBoer outlined in August is still achievable. Alabama hasn’t lost an SEC game. They can still compete for the conference title. The College Football Playoff is not off the table. But as Low emphasized, “It’s got to show up on the field. You can’t keep seeing the same mistakes over ten games and not have people start questioning whether the message is getting through.”

The upcoming schedule is crucial. Alabama should handle ULM and Wisconsin, but the looming test is Week 5 in Athens against Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs. That’s the measuring stick. Alabama narrowly survived the Bulldogs last time; this time, the Tide will be entering Athens as underdogs. Win there, and DeBoer’s critics might soften. Lose badly, and the noise about his future could become deafening.