Confidence is oozing through Alabama’s football program this upcoming season.
After not making the College Football Playoff in 2024, Kalen DeBoer is prepared to have the Crimson Tide bounce back in the fall. No scholarship player for the Tide entered the NCAA transfer portal after spring practice and no coach left the staff. Alabama paired Ryan Grubb back with DeBoer on offense, added Jason Jones (former Tide defensive back) as a safeties coaches, and brought Chuck Morrell from an analyst to an on-field inside linebackers coach.
Kalen DeBoer, Alabama assistant coaches in EA Sports CFB 26 game
The continuity and buy-in is there from the players and coaches. A 10-2 season would get Alabama into the 12-team playoff, but many feel this could be a special year for the Tide.
Trent Richardson, a former Alabama running back, is one-third of “The Dynasty” podcast with AJ McCarron and Chris Stewart. The two-time BCS National Champion (2009, 2011) and 2011 Doak Walker Award winner detailed why he does not see the Tide missing the playoff this time.
“To have everybody come back and to have a coach like Coach Grubb who has a great track record of calling plays, being a great offensive coordinator, being around the campus, and being with Coach [DeBoer] at Washington, I think it is going to be big,” Richardson said.
“I’m not saying he’s the savior out there, but I don’t see us not making it in the playoffs this season. I just can’t see that.”
AJ McCarron highlights reason for buy-in from Alabama players for 2025 season
The job of roster retention, adding quality from the transfer portal, and recruiting talented freshmen was tremendously done by Alabama. DeBoer has the team in a position to compete for a national championship in his second year as head coach.
The Tide opens its campaign versus Florida State, so we will see what happens.
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and writer for The Bama Standard. You can follow him on X via @CoachingMSmith.
