Call Alabama’s latest coaching departure an opportunity or disaster management. But people are reading every move as a signal, as every departure gets magnified. This is what Kalen DeBoer signed up for: to coach in the longest shadow in college football as he enters his third year as the Tide head coach. To make matters worse, he entered the 2026 season with a grim prognosis, and a key staffer is now departing for a Group of Five program.

Kalen DeBoer is losing an assistant to a G5 role under Scott Abell. According to FootballScoop, Rice is finalizing a deal to hire Tevin Madison. He joined Alabama last March as a defensive analyst, but internally, he was more than that. Per sources, he was actively involved with the secondary, effectively serving as an assistant DBs coach.

As for Rice, it’s coming off a 5-win first season in 2025, and with Scott Abell adding Tevin Madison as his CBs coach, it’s another huge win. Rice reached the postseason because there weren’t enough bowl-eligible teams. But the school managed to capitalize on it, and he’s been aggressive about staffing since arriving from Davidson.

Madison’s resume is ideal for a rebuild, featuring a blend of high-level experience and regional ties. An Alabama native, he played at Texas Tech before coaching in the Big 12 at Kansas State and making stops at the FCS level at Illinois State and Southeast Missouri State.

Alabama returned to the CFP during his time there, Kalen DeBoer’s first CFP appearance with the program, and Tevin Madison’s role wasn’t ceremonial. But losing him to a G5 program tells a lot about where the Tide is headed. But right now, this new coaching development isn’t the only concern on his shoulders, as it’s perception stacking on top of context. 

Nick Saban is still a walking legend in Alabama, and Kalen DeBoer will never be judged on his own merits. Everything he does gets compared to what his predecessor would’ve done with the same situation. And this is where his reality gets complicated as he enters a do-or-die season.

Kalen DeBoer faces a rough verdict for 2026

DeBoer’s tenure has been a mixed bag. His first team, built on Saban-era talent, stumbled to a 9-4 finish and a bowl loss. While his second squad improved to 11-4 and reached the CFP, glaring weaknesses were exposed when Georgia crushed them in the SEC title game, and Indiana delivered a 38-3 embarrassment in the Rose Bowl. 2026 won’t be forgiving either, and it doesn’t help that they’ll be having a first-year starting QB, whether it’s Keelon Russell or Austin Mack. 

Alabama is set to face SEC threats like Georgia, Tennessee, LSU, Auburn, and Texas A&M. The Tide’s run game can’t realistically get any worse, as the defense has shown no signs of getting better either, with the defense carrying more weight than it should to compensate for the failed rushing attack. They finished 119th nationally, averaging a mere 111.89 yards per game and 3.5 yards per carry, the worst rushing averages this program has ever put up. Will 2026 be any different? That’s a question only the head coach and players will answer when the upcoming season commences.

Which brings us back to staff losses like Tevin Madison’s. Why are they leaving? You can rationalize them individually with career advancement, a better title, and a clearer path. But taken together, they feed a broader sense that Kalen DeBoer is still trying to gain traction internally and externally.