Kalen DeBoer had a bounce back 2025 season, leading the Alabama Crimson Tide to the College Football Playoff in his second season. The season however wasn't good enough to meet the Alabama standards as this team had clear flaws while finishing the season with 4 losses. As Kalen DeBoer enters his 3rd season at the helm, the roster is starting to become fully his own.
The expectation at Alabama is to win National Championships, and anything short of that goal will be seen as a failure. If Alabama is going to finaly return to glory this season, Kalen DeBoer and his team will need to overcome several potential fatal flaws.
These fatal flaws will derail Alabama's championship hopes in 2026
Finding the Ty Simpson replacement
Kalen DeBoer enters his 3rd season in Tuscaloosa with his 3rd starting quarrterback as Ty Simpson is off to the NFL Draft. While it wasn't a perfect season for Simpson who dealt with injuries, he was clearly one of the most talented quarterbacks in the Country, and a player who could've been the Heisman favorite if he returned.
Alabama will now turn the offense over to either Keelon Russell or Austin Mack, but the two haven't started a game to this point. Austin Mack showed a ton of promise in the Rose Bowl taking over for the injured Simpson while Keelon Russell flashed whenever he was given a chance to play. Both quarterbacks have more than enough talent to lead this offense, but having another 1st time starter isn't the best for pushing for the Playoff.
Replacing the entire Offensive Line
One of the biggest issues for Alabama in 2025 was inconsistent play on the offensive line which was always one of the flaws anytime the Crimson Tide faced an opponent who can exploit it. The good news for Alabama is the fact that Kalen DeBoer fired offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic which should allow for a fresh start. The bad news is that Alabama has to replace all 5 starters on the offensive line this offseason.
Michael Carroll returns with a ton of experience after his freshman season while Ryan Grubb has already declared that Jackson Lloyd will start at left tackle. Alabama recruits well enough that there's more than enough talent in the room for the Crimson Tide to fill these holes. Given how important chemistry is on the offensive line, it's going to be hard for this group to gel overnight with such little game experience.
A Running Back room with questions
When Ty Simpson was dealing with his injuries last season, the lack of a rushing attack only made matters worse for Alabama. The inability to run the ball was on full display against Florida State, Georgia, and Indiana, allowing the opposing defense to pin their ears back and rush the passer. Jam Miller departs after a down season where he still led the team in rushing leaving a void behind.
Daniel Hill returns as the projected starter after averaging 3.8 yards per carry on 75 carries with Kevin Riley likely splitting time after showing flashes last season. AK Dear is the player that could use camp to earn a big role after averaging 7.4 yards per carry on just 19 attempts. Incoming freshman Ezavier Crowell joins Alabama as a 5-star recruit who could quickly find himself with a role in the offense.
Considering that Alabama will have a first time starting quarterback, the rushing attack has to give this offense more help than it provided Ty Simpson. The SEC is still a league where every game can be determined on the line of scrimmage, and Alabama will need to bring back the punishing rushing attack we've seen in the past.
Where will the pass rush production come from?
Under Nick Saban you could always count on Alabama having a relentless defense thanks to their massive advantage in the trenches. Kalen DeBoer's Alabama team hasn't had that elite level edge rusher over the past two seasons, and looking at the 2026 team on paper, it's hard to point out where the sacks will come from.
Yhonzae Pierre had a breakout season with 8 sacks, and he'll be heavily counted on to produce big plays. Among the players who combined for Alabama's 33 sacks last season, players accounting for 20 sacks have left for the NFL Draft or the Transfer Portal leaving holes that will need to be filled.
Along with Pierre, Edric Hill and London Simmons showed promise with 1.5 sacks each making them players who will need to take the next step. Transfer additions Devan Thompkins and Kedrick Bingley-Jones are going to need to grow as pass rushers along with some of the younger pieces if this defense is going to be good enough.