Nothing feels settled at Alabama right now. There’s another QB battle and another season in which everyone expects a title run from coach Kalen DeBoer, who is carrying a fresh seven-year, $87.5 million extension. But Paul Finebaum isn’t worried about one position or one bad Saturday. His concern is that he thinks the program is drifting, and if the people in charge don’t recognize it soon, the hole could get a lot harder to climb out of.

“Alabama has made critical strategic mistakes, and that is on the board. That’s just not on the University of Alabama,” the longtime SEC analyst said on The Paul Finebaum Show. “The real question I have, if this is not rectified in a relatively short period of time, the overall philosophy, then five years from now is going to be too late. Alabama cannot just walk into college football and take it over again.  It is a historical power, but so was Nebraska.”

Nobody thought Nebraska would end up here. For years, it felt impossible. They were the team everyone measured themselves against. Then things started slipping with little cracks that kept getting bigger. One disappointing season rolled into the next. Before long, the Huskers weren’t chasing championships anymore. It was chasing respect.

Since 2016, Nebraska is 42-62. They still haven’t knocked off a ranked opponent. They’ve reached only two bowl games and haven’t even scraped together an eight-win season. That’s a stunning drop. That’s the kind of slide every powerhouse swears will never happen to them. And that’s why the comparison stings. 

Kalen DeBoer is already staring at one of the country’s biggest QB battles between Austin Mack and Keelon Russell. Both have limited experience. Across five appearances, Mack has completed 26 of 35 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns. Meanwhile, Russell, the former 5-star recruit, attempted only 15 passes last season, completing 11 for 143 yards and two scores. 

The pressure surrounding DeBoer isn’t based only on roster uncertainty. Last season, Alabama averaged only 104.1 rushing yards per game, ranking 125th nationally. DeBoer’s overall coaching record is an outstanding 124-20. He also matched Nick Saban’s career total of four losses to unranked opponents in just 14 games with Alabama. 

Despite that uneven start, the Tide extended Kalen DeBoer through January 2033 and increased his annual salary to $12.5 million. Paul Finebaum wasn’t buying the contract extension when it was announced. To him, rewarding the coach right after a playoff blowout against Indiana felt completely backwards. The loss was still fresh, yet the school handed out a richer deal anyway. Now, he’s looking past the money. 

Alabama’s QB battle will grab attention, but that’s not what worries him. His bigger question is whether this program lost the formula that made it the team everyone chased. If that answer is yes, fixing one position won’t solve much.