Kalen DeBoer already has his hands full this offseason. His job might very well be on the line now, and he is doing all he can to go back to safer territory. However, top EDGE prospect Jabarrius Garror’s latest career move has sent Alabama into a crisis, further complicating things for DeBoer.

The 4-star talent has decommitted from Alabama, in a major twist of events. He was one of the earliest commitments in the Tide’s 2027 class, having pledged in 2024. However, he never shut down his recruitment. He was supposed to come to Tuscaloosa on June 19, but that doesn’t seem to be in the cards.

His departure will pinch at Kalen DeBoer and Co., because he was a local prospect and the third-best talent in Alabama. More importantly, Garror is one of the best pass rushers of the 2027 cycle and could have immediately been made part of the action at Alabama. This past season, he totaled 106 tackles and 21 sacks. He was named Alabama’s Defensive Lineman of the Year for his heroics.

Among the other programs lined up, Texas A&M is one that Jabarrius Garror is “considering a lot,” he told Rivals. The Aggies had one of the better defensive lines in the SEC, making a special impact in pass rush. Texas A&M racked up 43 sacks, the fourth-best total in the country. Garror was particularly impressed by Cashius Howell’s showcase last year on the front seven.

“That’s the way I want to be used,” he said.

On the other hand, there is a chance Garror can flip to arch nemesis Auburn. He has visited Auburn six times now, and the program had also offered him before Alabama and Texas A&M did. Garror has a strong relationship with EDGE coach Coleman Hutzler, who coached at Alabama in 2022 and 2023. FSU is also a strong contender, as Garror has visited Tallahassee six times as well.

Losing such a big recruit while Alabama is in the midst of a crucial offseason is a sign of alarm at Alabama. The Tide did make it to the playoffs, but they seemed to have their charm along the way, which might be putting off recruits. While Kalen DeBoer works on regaining Jabarrius Garror’s trust, he also has to address a problem that effectively broke Alabama in the Rose Bowl.

Alabama’s run game continues to be a concern after a bad 2025 showing

The Rose Bowl could have been a respectable send-off for Ty Simpson, regardless of what the result was. Instead, the Alabama offense ended up being no match for the opposing defense. One big reason why that happened was that the run game was a complete no-show. Indiana rushed for an impressive 215 yards, while Alabama’s total sits at an embarrassing 23. 17 of those were made by Ty Simpson. The lack of a strong rushing attack was actually seen all season long, but the passing attack helped cover that up. But when Alabama reached the big games, the cracks started to show.

Alabama also lost to Georgia in the SEC Championship because of this reason, having rushed for -3 yards. The longest rushing gain was only for 5 yards, and Simpson being sacked for -23 yards didn’t help. The -3 total is Alabama’s second-worst rushing total in program history. No RB who got more than 202 carries averaged more than 4 yards on the ground. Kalen DeBoer, now in his third year as Alabama’s head coach, cannot afford for this to become an issue yet again.

“I don’t think there’s any secret about that; we’ve got to do a better job there,” DeBoer said at a presser on Alabama’s first day of spring camp. ” That’s going to open up the rest of our offense.”

The picture for 2026 is concerning for Alabama. RB Daniel Hill is the only one in the room with the most experience. There are other senior players too, in AK Dear and Kevin Riley, but they don’t have the numbers. Given that the run game needs an instant fix, DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb might choose to start freshman EJ Crowell early. One of the top recruits of the 2026 class, Crowell rushed for more than 2,600 yards in his senior season alone.

Alabama is facing a do-or-die season yet again this year. But looking at how things stand at Tuscaloosa, it looks like the offseason is going to be a trying time for Kalen DeBoer. Will he be able to get things up to the mark before the season begins?