In a recent interview, Kalen DeBoer was asked about the late-season buzz linking him to other programs and the possibility of leaving Alabama. Instead of getting into the reported interest from Michigan or Penn State, DeBoer chose to highlight his loyalty to his team. In doing so, his comments seemed to carry a subtle jab at Lane Kiffin, who left Ole Miss during a crucial stretch of the season.

“I never talked to anyone,” said DeBoer to BamaOnLine. “I don’t know how I could talk to someone and look my team in the eye when I get in front of them every day when we’re in the middle of a playoff run.”

It was easy to figure out who that dig was intended for.

Initially, Kiffin kept winning at Ole Miss and fans’ confidence, telling them he was not interested in testing the water anywhere else. However, speculation continued to grow with certain actions.

For instance, LSU sent a private jet for Kiffin’s family to visit Baton Rouge. He then departed after the Rebels finished the regular season with an 11-1 record and a likely spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff. 

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

DeBoer puts himself in the Ole Miss fans’ shoes. The 2025 campaign turned into a landmark ride for the Rebels, as Kiffin steered them to just their second 11-win season ever and within arm’s reach of the SEC Championship Game. The cherry on top? A historic first appearance in the College Football Playoff. Even then, he chose to leave for Baton Rouge. 

Cut to DeBoer. The programs that showed interest in him went to pursue other head coaches, and DeBoer minded his business in Tuscaloosa. He doubled down and marched Alabama to a statement playoff win over Oklahoma, then cashed in a trip to the legendary Rose Bowl.

That hostile-environment W over the Sooners crushed the Michigan smoke, especially with reports saying the Wolverines were lining up DeBoer as Plan A if things went south. They didn’t.

“The first time that there were rumors, I actually asked a couple of the upperclassmen one time, I said, ‘Hey, is this an issue?’ And they said, ‘No, Coach. We’re good,” Kalen DeBoer said. “I think they can feel it in me how important they are to me and this team and our success and what we were trying to do.”

This confidence is something that Kiffin struggled with during his last few days in Ole Miss. After walking out of the program, he claimed that the team requested him to hold their hands and walk them to the playoffs. That’s when the player came in union, claiming that it never happened. 

“That was not the message you said in the meeting room. Everybody who was in there can vouch for this,” Ole Miss linebacker Suntarine Perkins took a direct aim at Kiffin.

DeBoer didn’t take Kiffin’s name, but the message still landed loud and clear. But now, it’s the LSU Tigers football head coach who might leave DeBoer uneasy after a major prediction dropped in. 

Kalen DeBoer could lose his throne to Lane Kiffin

Kiffin has yet to prove himself in Baton Rouge. However, the discussion about him swapping programs has hit again. First, it was ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum, who shared how Kiffin had his eyes on DeBoer’s seat.

According to the analyst, Kiffin was praying hard for Alabama to lose against Auburn. That’s because only then would DeBoer have accepted the Penn State job. But the LSU head coach’s dream to fill in the empty Tuscaloosa throne did not come true as Alabama crushed Auburn 20-27. 

However, with the 2025 season ending, has this prediction now been put to sleep? No way. The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel shared his hot takes for the 2026 season. And it sprinkles trouble for DeBoer. 

“Lane Kiffin leaves LSU after nine games for Alabama, which fires Kalen DeBoer after eight games,” the analyst dropped his prediction. “DeBoer then goes to Clemson to take over for Dabo Swinney after he gets too distraught over tampering to continue.”

Through two seasons in Tuscaloosa, Kalen DeBoer is 20-8 overall and 12-4 in SEC play. Apparently, his record looks steady, but both years came with four bruises in the loss column. And after tossing that low-key shade at Lane Kiffin, the margin for error just got thinner. Can DeBoer save his throne?