The Alabama Crimson Tide’s beatdown at the hands of the Indiana Hoosiers wasn’t just a loss. It was another chapter in the Kalen DeBoer disappointment saga. But the head coach isn’t sulking; he’s in complete ‘shake it off’ mode. Losing stings and getting steamrolled? That’s what hit the Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl.

“It’s a lot of emotions right now,” said DeBoer in the post-game press conference on January 1. “Our program’s going to be upset when these types of situations happen. We’ve got to use it to fuel us moving forward. It doesn’t sit well with us, but after today, all we can do is move on.”

DeBoer had shut down any Michigan Wolverines buzz. He was firmly planted in Tuscaloosa, with Alabama riding a wave of momentum into the Rose Bowl against an untested top seed in Indiana. However, it did not take long for DeBoer and Co. to face a brutal reality check.

Before Thursday’s humiliating 38-3 loss, Alabama’s worst postseason beatdown dated back to 2019. That’s when the Clemson Tigers steamrolled Nick Saban on the national title stage. Trevor Lawrence and Dabo Swinney hung 44 on the Tide, cruising to a 28-point runaway.

With the transfer portal set to swing open within hours, the fallout could extend straight from the Rose Bowl locker room.

DeBoer’s seat is already getting hot. Eight losses in two seasons are bad enough. But under DeBoer, half of Alabama’s last six defeats have been straight-up noncompetitive. 

The Crimson Tide fell prey to 24-3 against the Oklahoma Sooners in 2024. This season under DeBoer, Alabama suffered a 28-7 loss against the Georgia Bulldogs. And now, the 38-3 defeat by Indiana was another negative mark on their record.  

Everything was still lining up for DeBoer until the gamble against Indiana tilted the game the other way. He rolled the dice on fourth-and-1 from his own 34, but the call backfired. Germie Bernard nearly caught a shovel pass from Daniel Hill, but the ball landed just shy of the end zone. 

Four plays later, Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza made Alabama pay, hitting Charlie Becker for a 21-yard touchdown to stretch Indiana’s lead to 10-0.

“Just felt like it was going to be one of those games where you’ve got to take advantage of possessions,” DeBoer said about his costly move in the post-game conference. “Obviously, when you fall short, it’s the wrong decision, right?”

Knocking off Alabama is paying off big time for Curt Cignetti. Thursday’s win locks in a $700,000 bonus for reaching the semifinals, with that payday jumping to $1 million if Indiana punches a ticket to the national title game. And what did DeBoer get in return?

As the pressure mounts and the firing chatter intensifies, what matters most to him is having his wife beside him through the storm.

Kalen DeBoer shared a quiet moment with his wife after the storm

After the Rose Bowl heartbreak, DeBoer was seen giving his wife, Nicole, a hug. The couple has been married since December 29, 2001. Nicole isn’t just DeBoer’s wife; she understands the grind firsthand. 

A former athlete herself, she played in 109 games for Augustana College’s basketball team from 1997 to 2001 while earning her degree in fitness management.

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On a neutral stage with everything on the line, DeBoer couldn’t steer Alabama into the semifinals. For a fan base conditioned to dominance, the loss and a three-point playoff showing hit hard. Unsurprisingly, the “Fire Kalen DeBoer” chatter is trending again.

So who’s next in Tuscaloosa? Under DeBoer, Alabama’s physical edge has dulled into a genuine concern. This threatens the culture Nick Saban built if left unchecked. And just as the chatter grows louder, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders enters the conversation.

Coach Prime would bring an instant jolt to the program. He is a true boom-or-bust hire and the ultimate high-risk, high-reward play on the market. They can also count on Alabama alum and Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans. Even though he has not yet coached in college, he has led the Texans to the AFC South both years. 

Alabama has reached a crossroads. Do the Tide grant Kalen DeBoer a window to steady the ship, or do they fast-track him to the exit?