Kalen DeBoer Responds to Stephen A. Smith's Strong Criticism and Call for Alabama to Fire Him: "Surprises me"

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Kalen DeBoer is in his third season at Alabama and has already reached the playoffs once. Not just that, he also made it to the SEC title game last year. For many, those achievements would have kept criticism at bay for the foreseeable future. Not at Alabama. Echoing those emotions, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith went on a furious tirade against DeBoer.

Smith questioned the $87M extension and highlighted slipping standards under DeBoer. But he also highlighted the slipping standards under him ever since Nick Saban left Tuscaloosa. Most glaringly, Smith urged Alabama to “get rid of” DeBoer and called out his lack of energy in interviews. Now, the Bama head coach has seemingly replied to the criticism.

“We’ve been fully embracing what the expectations are here at Alabama. That’s what we all signed up for. That’s why we came here. So I guess that surprises me to have it come across that way,”DeBoer said in an interview with ABC 33/40 on July 27 about the criticism surrounding his interviews. “You get asked the same questions a lot of different ways. And for me, what I’m focused on, I guess the way you want to come across is you’re focused on the process.”

DeBoer recently spoke at the SEC Media Days about his future legacy at Alabama and his desire to win the national championship. Instead of tracing back Saban’s standards or even charting a legacy of his own, the Bama head coach replied simply. He just wanted his team to be better every day and focus on the process. Not the ultimate prize. That didn’t sit well with Stephen A. Smith. According to the Bama head coach, though, he was misunderstood.

“You’re focused on the day-to-day things. And I think the question had something to do with, like, a legacy or, or time when it’s like time is up here at Alabama,” DeBoer said. “Right now is what matters. The perception and whatever it is, when it’s all said and done, that’ll take place on its own. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure that it’s an awesome experience. And that we’re never going to shy away from championships and winning.”

In his two years at Alabama, fans believe the program hasn’t yet reached what Saban accomplished, or at least started to when he came. Even though the former head coach’s 2007 season was mediocre, he quickly turned things around and pulled off a 12-win season in 2008. However, he still lost the SEC title game to Florida. The same was the case with Kalen DeBoer in 2025, as he lost to Georgia. Maybe, like Saban, DeBoer’s third season will be the charm?

Alabama won the national championship in Saban’s third year with the team and went undefeated. Despite DeBoer’s starkly different ‘personal attention’ philosophy from Saban’s, he might do it in 2026. Alabama has a whopping +1600 to +2500 odds to win the ultimate prize. It’s understandable since DeBoer has one of the youngest teams in the country. Still, hehasn’t yet sorted out the QB1 competition.

Despite everything, we have already seen DeBoer’s national championship-caliber coaching at Washington. Additionally, OC Ryan Grubb is now fully gelled with the team and is in his second season. Maybe, despite all the odds, this might finally be the year for DeBoer as he shuts all critics once and for all?

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