Alabama Called Out for ‘Morphing Into a Pac-12 Team’ Under Kalen DeBoer

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The Alabama Crimson Tide are about to begin Kalen DeBoer’s third season, and the expectations for the head coach are to keep the program among college football’s elite.

At least one opposing coach isn’t convinced Alabama still looks the part, though.

In a preseason survey of coaches and staffers, The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman asked respondents which highly regarded teams they believed could be overhyped entering 2026. An anonymous Big Ten running backs coach pointed directly at the No. 13 Crimson Tide and questioned the physical identity of DeBoer’s program.

“Alabama. It looks like they’re morphing into a Pac-12 team (sic). I like (Kalen) DeBoer a lot, but I think there’s a softness to how they play. The way they got beat by Indiana last year was like, ‘Whoa!’” the coach said.

It’s a particularly pointed criticism for a program whose identity for years was built around overpowering opponents at the line of scrimmage under Nick Saban.

Big Ten Coach Questions Alabama’s Toughness Under DeBoer

The Pac-12 comparison carries an obvious connection to DeBoer, who arrived at Alabama after leading Washington to the conference championship and College Football Playoff National Championship Game during the 2023 season.

DeBoer has still won since replacing Saban — just maybe not as much as Crimson Tide fans would like.

Alabama announced in April that it extended his contract through January 2033 after he went 20-8 over his first two seasons. The Crimson Tide finished 11-4 in 2025, reached the SEC Championship Game and won a road playoff game against Oklahoma.

But the way last season ended provided ammunition for anyone questioning Alabama’s physicality.

No. 1 Indiana overwhelmed the Crimson Tide 38-3 in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.

Indiana outgained Alabama 407-193 and rushed for 215 yards. The Crimson Tide managed only 23 rushing yards, 11 first downs and three points while Indiana controlled possession for more than 34 minutes.

Alabama Has Chance to Answer ‘Softness’ Criticism

The Indiana loss wasn’t the only reason Alabama’s running game drew scrutiny last season.

Entering its first-round playoff matchup with Oklahoma, Alabama was averaging 123.8 rushing yards per game, which ranked 13th in the SEC and 106th nationally.

That is a massive departure from the rushing attacks that became synonymous with the program during much of Saban’s tenure.

DeBoer has nevertheless given Alabama reasons to believe his version of the program can contend. The school noted when announcing his extension that his first two seasons included eight wins against AP Top 25 opponents, an SEC title-game appearance and a College Football Playoff victory.

Now comes the opportunity to answer the harsher criticism about what Alabama looks like while winning.

The Crimson Tide open the 2026 season against East Carolina on Sept. 5 before traveling to Kentucky and hosting Florida State. SEC games against Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M, LSU and Auburn are also waiting later on the schedule.

Whether Alabama has become “soft” is ultimately an opinion. But after the way Indiana pushed the Crimson Tide around in Pasadena, it’s easy to understand why the question followed DeBoer’s team into another difficult season.

And for Alabama, being compared to a Pac-12 team because of a perceived lack of physicality is probably about as far from the old standard as an opposing coach could take it.

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