A year of transition after Nick Saban‘s mythical run, DeBoer’s second spring in Tuscaloosa has been all about ‘Let Bygones Be Bygones.’ Last year ended with a difficult ReliaQuest Bowl loss to Michigan, and the players in the locker room felt sheer disappointment—nobody wanted to rely on the ‘first-year coach’ crutch. That loss has been a rallying point, with players such as Germie Bernard coming back for ‘unfinished business.’ The coaches labored to retain key juniors from jumping to the NFL, and that retention, on both offense and defense, has been a huge plus for DeBoer.

On the recruiting side, DeBoer’s strategy is beginning to reap dividends. Early worries of limited SEC connections are fading. He has merged his experienced staff with coaches intimately familiar with the Southeast recruiting scene. Now, all this momentum would be for naught if injuries dinged up the roster as they headed into summer. Here’s the positive news: DeBoer is anticipating Alabama to be healthy and in prime position for when fall camp rolls around. Following a spring defined by recovery, the general prognosis is upbeat.

During a recent press conference, DeBoer sounded brash when he uttered, “By the time we hit August, we feel very confident that we will have everyone back and be ready to roll at the level we need to.” Following a year that was, honestly, a bit rocky for Bama norms, hearing the head coach profess confidence in the health of his roster means a lot. Several guys lost time during spring ball—some still working their way back from last season’s bumps and bruises—the rest of them are now ‘in full swing.’ Only a few of them watch with ‘limited’ activity, and that’s just precautionary stuff as they get through June.

Now, who exactly are these guys returning? Well, the headline names that the Bama fans have been waiting to see come back include WR Germie Bernard, who struggled with a chronic injury in the past seasons but plays a big role in the offense, and linebacker Justin Jefferson, who missed spring but will be full speed by August. OL Kadyn Proctor, who was wearing down, is said to be back in the fray. And don’t forget DB Earl Little Jr., who’s rehabbed and ready to vie for a starter. All that aside, it’s difficult not to consider just how important these returnees are, particularly given how Alabama’s 2024 campaign ended—being omitted from last year’s College Football Playoff was a bitter pill to swallow for Kalen DeBoer and the whole program.

When tough losses hurt more than they should?

For a program accustomed to being in the playoff appearances,  missing the bracket last year was disheartening. You can still hear the reverberations of frustration from Bama fans, as well as some within the program. “You wonder what would have happened if other people would have played our schedule” says DeBoer.

Alabama completed the 2024 regular season at 9-3, which by their lofty standards is a letdown. Those three losses—on the road against Vanderbilt, Tennessee, and Oklahoma—did them in. After all the dust had settled, the CFP selection committee rated the Crimson Tide 11th, and that was simply not good enough to get into the expanded 12-team playoff. To add insult to injury, SMU stole the final at-large playoff bid, and Clemson, ranked lower, got in as a result of their conference championship victory.

The contentious issue at the SEC spring meetings this year was whether the committee considers strength of schedule and quality wins the way they claim to. Alabama’s schedule was vicious, and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey even went so far as to suggest that a nine-win team in the SEC could have a more difficult path than an 11-win team from a weaker league. But the committee’s word was straight: three losses, no conference championship, and not enough to surpass teams such as SMU or Clemson, which had fewer losses or a glittering conference championship.

Within the program, there’s still a feeling of shock. This is Alabama, right—they’re accustomed to being in, not out. The players and coaches have taken that snub and fueled themselves all offseason. You hear it in every interview: ‘unfinished business,’ ‘chip on our shoulder,’ and a legitimate desire to show the naysayers wrong.