Just months into his third year at Alabama, DeBoer is watching his roster of assistants thin out considerably. First, it was wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard, who landed the head coaching gig at Oregon State. Then, quarterback coach Nick Sheridan jumped to Michigan State as offensive coordinator. Now, the Crimson Tide is losing someone who bleeds crimson and white through and through. 

ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Stanford is expected to hire Alabama’s assistant D-line coach Jamey Mosley as the Cardinals’ new defensive line coach. The move reunites Mosley with first-year Stanford head coach Tavita Pritchard, who is building his staff after taking over the program following a disappointing 4-8 season in 2025. Mosley, who won two national championships as a player at Alabama, is making the cross-country jump to Palo Alto after several years working under defensive line coach Freddie Roach.

Mosley has been a lifelong faithful to the Crimson Tide, and that’s why this departure feels more significant. He didn’t arrive in Tuscaloosa as a blue-chip recruit. He came as a walk-on, determined to carve out his own path in the shadow of his older brother, CJ Mosley, who was already an All-American linebacker and Butkus Award winner for the Tide.

The younger Mosley from Theodore, Alabama, joined the program in 2014 and spent his redshirt freshman year proving himself worthy of a spot. His hard work paid off when Nick Saban offered him a scholarship in the summer of 2016.

Nick Saban announced the scholarship in front of the media, “I’m really happy to announce that we gave Jamey Mosley…” Then there was a sudden pause. Saban corrected himself and said, “We didn’t give him. He earned it, and I’d like to say he earned it on his own. He’s worked very hard and can probably make a contribution to our team this year. Jamey Mosley was awarded a scholarship.”

Jamey Mosley would go on to win a national championship just a year later.

Over his career from 2015 to 2018, Mosley appeared in 31 games, recording 21 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and two pass breakups. He started three games during the 2017 season when Alabama captured one of his two national championship rings. His senior year in 2018 saw him become a more significant contributor, collecting eight tackles and earning the Pat Trammel Award, given to a senior player whose character and leadership exemplify the Alabama standard. 

Following his college career, Mosley went undrafted in 2019 but got a chance to reunite with his brother when the New York Jets signed him as an undrafted free agent. He also spent time on the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad that same year before being waived. When his playing days ended, Mosley knew exactly where he wanted to be: back in Tuscaloosa. 

He returned to Alabama as an analyst and worked his way up to assistant defensive line coach, mentoring players like Tim Keenan III, LT Overton, and Justin Eboigbe (now with the Los Angeles Chargers). His journey from walk-on to coach, completing the full circle at his alma mater, made him a beloved figure within the program. Now Mosley heads west to help rebuild Stanford’s defensive front under Pritchard, who was hired in late November 2025.

The Cardinal managed just a 4-8 record in 2025, their fifth consecutive season without a winning record. But they showed signs of life late in the year with an upset victory over rival Cal that snapped a four-year losing streak in the Big Game. For DeBoer, losing coaches is never easy, but watching someone like Mosley, who represents everything Alabama stands for, walk out the door to chase his own opportunity stings just a bit more. Still, it’s the nature of the business, and DeBoer will need to fill yet another vacancy as he prepares for year three in Tuscaloosa.

Standing by his coach

While DeBoer is losing his staff to new opportunities, the players who suited up for DeBoer aren’t shy about defending their head coach. Tim Keenan III, one of the defensive tackles Mosley helped develop over the past few years, had some pointed words for critics while speaking at Senior Bowl practice Tuesday night in Mobile. 

When asked about the scrutiny surrounding DeBoer, Keenan said, “You come in after Saban and try to do it. Everyone has this and that to say. The man did a great job in just two years.” Alabama’s 2025 season finished 11-4, which included an SEC Championship Game appearance and a first-round playoff win over Oklahoma. DeBoer’s 20-8 record through two seasons would be impressive almost anywhere else. But in Tuscaloosa, it’s measured against Saban’s impossible standard. The brutal bookend losses to Georgia and Indiana left a sour taste that numbers can’t wash away.

Keenan, who served as a captain in 2025, knows better than most what DeBoer inherited. “Of course, coming behind Saban, he’s going to be held to that standard,” Keenan acknowledged. “But coach DeBoer is great in his own way. He got guys to go through a lot of adversity. The record doesn’t show the things we’ve been through and the things we overcame.” This is the loyalty from players that DeBoer will need as he enters a pivotal third season, one where he’ll have to replace coaches like Mosley, Shephard, and Sheridan while continuing to chase the ghost of his predecessor.