Alabama’s struggles have put Kalen DeBoer under the microscope, with questions growing about whether he is the right fit to lead one of college football’s biggest programs. As speculation over potential replacements picks up, a high-profile SEC coach has entered the conversation. But ESPN’s Paul Finebaum isn’t buying the idea, and his response makes his position fairly clear.
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John from St. Louis called into The Paul Finebaum Show podcast to share his thoughts on DeBoer’s future at Alabama.
“My sources are telling me I have some breaking news,” John said. “I want you to try to confirm all this, but my sources are telling me that if Missouri beats Texas on Saturday and Alabama loses, then Drinkwitz is going to be offered the Alabama job. It’s going to be behind closed doors. It’s going to be kind of a double secret.”
Without giving any weight to his thoughts, Finebaum completely dismissed the claim as baseless, saying no credible sources support the rumor.
“First of all, that is total BS,” Finebaum responded. “No, you don’t have a single source in America, nor is that ever going to happen.”
Drinkwitz has drawn attention as a possible replacement for several coaches. His name has circulated in previous coaching searches, including Auburn, Penn State, and Florida. Not too long ago, he was being considered to take the Florida job after Mike Norvell got fired.
During Tuesday’s press conference, Drinkwitz addressed the rumors himself and said he was “not a candidate at Florida State.”
Drinkwitz, who earns $10.75 million annually, has a 52-31 overall record at Missouri. His record in SEC games is 29-26. Over the last four seasons, Missouri has won 35 games out of 47, showing that the program has been relatively successful under him. The Tigers are 6-2 overall and 3-2 in SEC games.
They are ranked No. 19 and are preparing to face No. 10 Texas, who are also at a 6-2 record. According to the CBS Sports CFP Forecaster, if Missouri beats Texas, its estimated probability of reaching the 12-team playoff rises to 15.9%. That’s roughly a 1-in-6 chance.
Alabama is currently 6-2. After its bye week, Alabama will be traveling to Baton Rouge to play. If Alabama loses, a third loss would certainly put more pressure on the Crimson Tide. But it wouldn’t automatically end their playoff hopes, as they are ranked 5th in the CFP standings. They would still have Vanderbilt, Chattanooga, and Auburn remaining.
Rather than the idea of being fired, Finebaum has been more focused on whether Alabama makes the playoff than on DeBoer’s job security. He discussed the importance of this matchup during his appearance on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning.
“I just think it’s self-explanatory the magnitude of this game,” said Finebaum on Monday. “I mean, even if Brian Kelly was still there [at LSU], it would still have massive importance. But the fact that Lane Kiffin is there, I think for Kalen DeBoer, it’s a must-win. I know that’s pretty obvious to say, but I think to continue some momentum that he had when October began, he’s got to get out of Tiger Stadium [with a win].”
“Because I think fans are fickle,” he added. “I know most of the animus for two weeks has been leveled at [offensive coordinator] Ryan Grubb, and that’s fairly predictable of football fans; when they think they have a good coach, they blame someone other than the good coach. But if Alabama comes out of Tiger Stadium with anything but a win, I think next Monday is going to be bloody in Alabama.”
So far, no Power Four team that finished the regular season with nine or fewer wins has qualified for the playoffs. Last season, Alabama was 10-2 in the regular season, which helped them qualify for the playoffs last season. However, LSU is ranked 14th and is on the same 6-2 record.