Alabama fans are intense, impatient, and used to winning. That’s what happens when your previous coach was Nick Saban.
And while Kalen DeBoer brought a successful résumé with him to Tuscaloosa, it didn’t take long for the honeymoon to end. The moment things started going sideways last season, the murmurs began and people were already questioning if he was "built for the job."
Now, heading into year two, things have calmed down a bit. There’s a cautious optimism in Tuscaloosa. New recruits, a fresh season, and some promising adjustments on the coaching staff have helped restore hope. But this is Alabama. You don’t get the benefit of the doubt for long. And when you look at the 2025 schedule? It’s not exactly doing DeBoer any favors.
Alabama’s 2025 Football Schedule
Aug. 30 – at Florida State
Sep. 6 – vs. Louisiana-Monroe
Sep. 13 – vs. Wisconsin
Sep. 27 – at Georgia
Oct. 4 – vs. Vanderbilt
Oct. 11 – at Missouri
Oct. 18 – vs. Tennessee
Oct. 25 – at South Carolina
Nov. 8 – vs. LSU
Nov. 15 – vs. Oklahoma
Nov. 22 – vs. Eastern Illinois
Nov. 29 – at Auburn
This slate is no joke. It starts with a trip to Florida State and includes showdowns with Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, LSU, Oklahoma, and Auburn. That’s seven potentialy legit opponents, and depending on how things unfold at quarterback and on defense, any of those could become real trouble.
So, it begs the questionr: How many games does Kalen DeBoer need to win in 2025 to keep the wolves at bay?
What Would Get Kalen DeBoer Fired?
Look, going 10-2 would almost guarantee job security to build for the future. Even 9-3—if the losses are close and the team looks like it's trending in the right direction—would probably keep things stable.
If Alabama finishes 8-4, DeBoer’s seat will be hot. That might sound harsh at first glance, but not in Tuscaloosa. Eight wins doesn’t get it done when the expectations are double-digit wins and an SEC Championship Game appearance. Fans would be asking tough questions. And boosters wouldn’t be far behind.
Now, let’s say things go off the rails. Maybe the quarterback position doesn’t settle, the defense regresses, and some of those 50/50 games start slipping away. What if Alabama stumbles to 7-5?
That’s the danger zone.
At 7-5, not only is DeBoer’s seat really hot—his buyout clause starts trending on social media. If Alabama were to drop six games—say, to Florida State, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, LSU, and Auburn—it might be unthinkable, but it’s not impossible. In that case, the Tide faithful would be howling. No doubt about it. That's not even counting Oklahoma in the mix.
At 6-6 you’d be looking at a team that missed a bowl game under Saban only once, and suddenly is scraping to make the Gasparilla Bowl. If it got that bad, the conversations wouldn’t be if DeBoer should be let go—it would be when and how much it would cost to do it.
So What’s the Realistic Threshold?
The floor, according to most projections, seems to hover around 8-4. That gives DeBoer some wiggle room—but not much. If he can hit 9-3 or better, especially with a win over one of the big programs like Georgia or LSU, then he’s fine. Anything worse than 8-4 and we’re talking damage control. Anything at 7-5 or lower? All bets are off.
The reality is that Alabama fans can handle losing a game or two, as long as there's progress. But, you've got to believe that if they're not in the race for the playoff come November, there will be heat applied to Kalen DeBoer seat — right or wrong.
It may sound cutthroat, but that’s the deal when you coach at Alabama. There’s no rebuild grace period. No “let’s see what happens in year three.” It’s win now—or start checking your contract for that buyout clause.
So how many wins does Kalen DeBoer need in 2025? The magic number is probably nine. Anything less and the questions begin. Seven or fewer? The questions become ultimatums.