Kalen DeBoer's first year at Alabama hasn’t exactly gone as many hoped.
Brought in after leading Washington to a national championship appearance, DeBoer was seen as a fresh start for the Tide after Nick Saban's legendary tenure. But the program now seems to be floundering, struggling to find an identity, and worst of all, discipline has become a serious issue.
Alabama football, once synonymous with grit and focus, now seems lost. The most recent controversies have only intensified concerns about how DeBoer is managing the team.
Freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams recently caught attention for painting his fingernails orange, a color synonymous with Tennessee, after a loss to the Volunteers. While Williams explained that it was simply a show of support for his younger sister, this small act has raised eyebrows across the Alabama fanbase.
Of course, while that may be the viral story of the week, it's the least of the worries for DeBoer.
Ryan Williams sporting the orange nails just day after Alabama’s loss to Tennessee.
— SEC Unfiltered (@SECUnfiltered) October 23, 2024
Nick Saban’s decision to walk away from Tuscaloosa makes more sense by the day. pic.twitter.com/v4qYRIwGDR
Former Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron was vocal about this shift, saying that players now seem more concerned with their social media presence and NIL deals than actually performing on the field. McCarron, who knows what it takes to win championships at Alabama, pointed out that this cultural change is at the root of the Tide’s struggles. While focusing on social media and personal brands might work elsewhere, it doesn’t fit the Alabama way.
"I don’t think you’ll see the same standard from discipline, just things that the team seems to do," McCarron said. "It’s a new day and age. Everybody’s worried about f—ing Tik Tok and having a reel and being on highlights for their personal self and personal gain, and how much money they can get from NIL."
On the field, the discipline issue is even more glaring. During a recent loss to Tennessee, two wide receivers were seen pretending to take jump shots during a critical fourth-and-one play. When questioned about the incident, the coaching staff's response—that they were coaching everything that happened on the field—left fans even more baffled. Alabama has gone from being a disciplined, well-oiled machine to a program that opposing fans are laughing at each week.
Fans who once had blind faith in the new coaching regime are now starting to openly question DeBoer’s leadership. Many feel that the team has lost the identity that made Alabama a powerhouse. Where Saban’s teams were focused, disciplined, and feared across the country, this current Alabama squad seems like something is missing, and it's not talent.
Some fans have already begun calling for a coaching change, and unless something changes soon, DeBoer could be on an increasingly hot seat.
Alabama faces a tough stretch ahead with games against Missouri, LSU, and Auburn. If DeBoer can’t turn things around, the Tide could be headed for an unthinkably poor season by their standards. With each passing game, the pressure on DeBoer is mounting, and it’s becoming clearer that the Alabama football program is in a very unfamiliar place—one where dominance is no longer guaranteed.
In Tuscaloosa, expectations are always sky-high. This year, under DeBoer, those expectations have come crashing down. Alabama fans are used to winning, and they’re not seeing the same disciplined, relentless effort that they grew accustomed to under Saban. DeBoer’s Alabama is still searching for an identity, but unless they find it fast, the calls for change will only grow louder.