There’s smoke swirling in Tuscaloosa—and no, it’s not from cigars after another Iron Bowl win. Alabama just locked in a five-star linebacker, and folks can’t seem to stop asking: Was it really Kalen DeBoer, or did the ghost of Nick Saban still close that deal? Well, Xavier Griffin has something to say. And so does his mom. The Griffin family is done with the chatter, and they just made it crystal clear: Coach DeBoer and his crew earned this one, fair and square.

Griffin, a 6’3”, 200-pound dynamo from Gainesville, Georgia, is the latest jewel in Bama’s 2026 recruiting crown. With 15 sacks as a sophomore and highlight-reel bursts at the Polynesian Bowl and Navy All-American Bowl, the kid’s a certified wrecking ball. On June 29, he chose the Crimson Tide over a laundry list of suitors—but instead of the usual hat ceremony buzz, this commitment kicked off a whole new debate.

The whispers started almost instantly: Was this Saban magic in disguise? One tweet turned to a thread, then a wildfire. Some critics questioned DeBoer’s recruiting muscle, pointing to Bama’s 9-4 record last season. Others flat-out claimed Saban was still pulling the strings.

His mom, Jay Clay, wasn’t having it. In a now-viral X post, she wrote, “Let me make this clear for @zay_social recruitment when it comes to Alabama. Makes me mad to hear @KalenDeBoer can’t recruit because our coach and his staff did a great job! I met Saban once, but he is not the one who offered or talked to us at any point.” She doubled down with props for outside linebackers coach Christian Robinson, tweeting, “@crob45 was and is the 🐐 that got my son to Bama!”

Then, on July 8th, Xavier Griffin himself cleared the air: “I personally never talked to Saban before other than that one year, that was before even DeBoer got there,” he said. “They [the staff] do a good job. The haters just want to talk. They said Nick Saban can’t save us, and then now they’re just talking about (he’s) saving us. So I mean, they’re just going to talk.”

So let’s talk facts. Alabama leads the 2026 cycle with 5 five-star commits. No other program has more than three. That haul includes elite names like Cederian Morgan, Jireh Edwards, and Xavier Griffin. While critics clung to DeBoer’s debut season stumble, the man was out there stacking blue-chips like pancakes. Griffin’s commitment isn’t an outlier—it’s part of a trend. DeBoer’s blueprint is working. Slowly but surely, he’s winning over recruits and families who care about culture, vision, and relationships.

That blueprint isn’t new, either. Back at Washington, DeBoer quietly built a Top-15 class in 2024—pulling in Demond Williams Jr., Jason Robinson Jr., and others who helped lead the Huskies to the national title game. His final year in Seattle was a masterclass in program-building. Now, with Robinson helping lead Bama’s defensive future and OC Ryan Grubb continuing to innovate, the Tide have retained their seat at the big-boy table.

Kalen DeBoer gets his flowers: Bama HC lands spot on 2025 preseason Coach of the Year Watch List

Kalen DeBoer might not wear The Houndstooth, but his name just landed where legends live. On Monday, the Alabama head coach was low-key named to the 2025 Dodd Trophy preseason watch list—an honor reserved for college football’s top sideline generals. It’s a list with history: Alabama’s won it twice, once with Saban in 2014 and Bill Curry back in 1989. Now, DeBoer is in the conversation.

His resume? It’s growing louder. Year one in Tuscaloosa wasn’t perfect—9-4, 5-3 in SEC play—but context matters. Transitioning from a 15-year dynasty was never going to be smooth. Still, DeBoer kept the ship afloat while reshaping the roster, culture, and recruiting board. The fact that Alabama didn’t crater is already a small miracle. That they’re now charging into 2025 with one of the top-ranked classes? That’s a flex.

The Dodd Trophy committee sees it. DeBoer joins seven other SEC coaches on the list, including Brian Kelly, Kirby Smart, and Steve Sarkisian. That’s not just company—that’s pressure-cooker territory. And yet, DeBoer looks more than comfortable. Remember, this is the same coach who went 14-1 at Washington, took down Oregon twice, and rode Michael Penix Jr. all the way to the natty. He’s no stranger to high expectations.

And now? He’s got the horses. Alabama’s 2026 class is stacking up like a title contender’s wish list. DeBoer and Grubb still run a high-octane offense, and their defensive staff, led by Christian Robinson, is earning trust with elite prospects. If this is what Year Two looks like under DeBoer, imagine what happens once he’s fully settled.