“I Always Worried”: Nick Saban Shares Kalen DeBoer Advantage That He Didn’t Have at Alabama

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Nick Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa for the 2007 season with great hype. He was already a national champion at LSU, and many expected immediate results that year. Instead, Bama finished with a modest 7-6 record. The next off-season, that hype immediately tanked; Saban’s Alabama wasn’t even in the top-5 favorites for the national title. What happened after, though, ishistory etched in gold.

Nick Saban’s 2008 was historic, as the team went 12-2 overall, was undefeated within the SEC, and became the SEC West champions. Building on that momentum, he went on to win his first national title in Alabama in 2009, starting a dominant dynasty. Saban’s teams mostly thrived when hype was low, off-season expectations were less, and that ‘rat poison’ was minimal. This was rarely the case for Saban. But Kalen DeBoer, according to him, has a favorable situation this year.

“I think the one thing about Alabama this year is that they’re flying under the radar a little bit, a little bit unknown. I kind of actually like that as a head coach,” Nick Saban said on the SEC Network on July 22. “Because when we were picked high, I always worried about how is this going to affect our offseason, our preparation, the culture that you’re trying to develop with the team. Maybe Coach DeBoer really likes the fact that they are flying under the radar a little.”

Even in the 2015 season, Alabama wasn’t a favorite for the national title despite making the playoffs in 2014. There were questions at the QB position (Jake Coker), and attrition was high. As a result, Bama faced underdog predictions in several games. Defying those odds, Bama won the national title, and Jake Coker was efficient throughout the season. Bama this year also has questions surrounding its QB1 and other issues. Can history repeat itself?

DeBoer is 20-8 in two seasons at the Tide and is without his 2025 QB1, Ty Simpson. Keelon Russell and Austin Mack are fighting for that spot. Both are inexperienced and haven’t seen many starting snaps. Although the battle is leaning towards Russell because of his exceptional spring game performances, nothing is set in stone. That uncertainty led On3‘s Chris Low to leave any of them off his top-10 SEC QBs list.

Apart from the QB uncertainty, Alabama is also coming with a relatively young roster. The Tuscaloosa program ranks 117th nationally in average age. Its projected starters, like Jackson Lloyd and Kaleb Edwards, are inexperienced. The program is returning with just 41% of production. The departures include standout players like Kadyn Proctor and Ty Simpson, as well as many DL and LB starters from 2025. Still, the program has reasons to believe.

The staff is stable, and DC Kane Wommack is in his third year. Additionally, OC Ryan Grubb has a long partnership with DeBoer, and in year 2, that should prove finally pivotal. DeBoer’s team also has an experienced defensive core with returning production ranking 25th nationally. Moreover, with a No.2 recruiting class in 2026 dotted with 5-star names like Ezavier Crowell (RB), Xavier Griffin (LB), and Jireh Edwards (S), freshman impact can be pivotal.

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