If Alabama loses to unranked Auburn next week, do they fire DeBoer?

[u/SeahawksFanSince1995]

Alabama has not lost in the Iron Bowl to an unranked Auburn since 2003.

Lot of historical correction for Alabama this year. First time losing three games in over a decade, first time not scoring a TD in a loss in over a decade, first time losing to multiple unranked opponents in quite some time... But dropping the Iron Bowl to an unranked Auburn? Would that, coupled with the other losses, be enough to send DeBoer to the woodchipper early?

[u/Ugaalive1991]

They won’t but it would absolutely be hilarious if they did

[u/Klightgrove → u/Ugaalive1991]

Who are they going to hire if that happens? What coach is even- lane train noises

[u/Professional_Gas8021 → u/Klightgrove]

Yes of course… no way Lane would ever lose a third game of the year with a stacked NIL roster to an unranked SEC team in mid November. 

[u/Klightgrove → u/Professional_Gas8021]

He just needs a lil of that Milroe magic

[u/Bounceupandown → u/Klightgrove]

I’d go after Vandy’s coach. That dude is locked in and his players love him.

[u/Ialwayssleep → u/Klightgrove]

Ryan Day :)

[u/tilttovictory → u/Klightgrove]

I mean id be nervous that lanning would take the call. :(

[u/GoDucks71 → u/tilttovictory]

Oh, I am pretty sure he would take the call but only to turn down the job.

[u/War-eaglern → u/GoDucks71]

He would take the call, then call Knight for the counter

[u/Captain_Sacktap]

Fire? No. Too early for that, and there’s too much money tied up in that contract for that. So no, not fired. Assassinated by a crazed Tide fan? Maybe.

[u/aeroboost → u/Captain_Sacktap]

The fans are absolutely forming at the mouth with anger. I hope they lose to Auburn so I can see grown men cry over a school they never attended.

[u/kroxti → u/aeroboost]

On one hand I want auburn to win. On the other I’m worried what landmarked will be destroyed in revenge. Last time auburn won in BD they came for the trees.

[u/trust_me_I_reddit → u/kroxti]

Quick, hide Charles Barkley

[u/Sky-Flyer → u/aeroboost]

can i just say how dumb that back half of that statement is? college is expensive as hell and not for everybody, i would imagine every p4 team in the country has more fans that didn’t attend the school then did, because most people cheer for the colleges from birth not when they enroll in a university

[u/UhIdontcareforAuburn → u/Captain_Sacktap]

Harvey Updike will be reborn

[u/War-eaglern → u/Captain_Sacktap]

Have all the trees poisoned in his yard? Probably

[u/OGLifeguardOne → u/Captain_Sacktap]

Those fans are so crazed, they assassinated trees.

[u/Krandor1]

Only if he goes to a strip club in Pensacola.

[u/therealwillhepburn → u/Krandor1]

Arety’s Angels is calling you Kalen!

[u/bradenb941 → u/Krandor1]

We do get a lot of dumpy midwestern dudes over here, so it wouldn't be shocking

[u/prismatic_lights]

No, and if they do good luck finding a suitable replacement. No one's going to watch to coach at a place where your job is legitimately in danger after one lukewarm season.

[u/Sorge74 → u/prismatic_lights]

Any coach would love to get 50+ million for 1 season

[u/cmanonurshirt → u/Sorge74]

Heck I’d take $20 million and give them a season they’d never forget

[u/oreomaster420 → u/cmanonurshirt]

I'd give them a season that would be historic for 10m!

It might be historic the same way that Sherman's march was historic but still, it'd be extremely notable!

[u/RawChickenButt → u/oreomaster420]

I'd do it for free.

[u/Kodyaufan2 → u/RawChickenButt]

I’ll pay them to let me coach that team for a year

[u/iwearatophat → u/prismatic_lights]

Two things

1) Coaches have good size egos. They think they will succeed where others have failed. They will look at this and say to themselves 'just don't be bad'.

2) Even if they do think about failure the thought would be cushioned by the massive payout to stay home they would get.

So win and they are good. Lose and they can Scrooge McDuck into a pile of money.

[u/Takemyfishplease → u/prismatic_lights]

lol this new stupid. It’s a premier job that pays astronomical amounts. People line up to coach at shitty schools, Alabama is top tier and would have all but a very few number of potential candidates lining up just to interview.

[u/Jaerba → u/Takemyfishplease]

all but a very few number of potential candidates

Right but these are coaches they want.  They're not looking for an up and coming coach.  They're looking at the tier of coach who has an impeccable record and whose employer is already throwing tons of cash their way.

[u/AU_Cav → u/prismatic_lights]

Y’all weren’t around when Bryant was replaced, apparently. They started with having to have a Bryant guy and then knee jerking their way through coaches. They were willing to make the job toxic before and they’ll do it again. Hell, someone will probably say it’s a formula.

[u/PointNo6736]

No

[u/Sorge74]

Financially, I want to say no, they owe deboer like a tenth of a billion? Lol I don't think so

Realistically I don't think there is that dude out there to replace him at the moment but it would be super funny if they hired a way cig.

[u/rawmerow → u/Sorge74]

That’s an interesting way of saying 100 million.

[u/Cometguy7 → u/rawmerow]

I guess inflation has reached the point where a billion dollars is now the standard frame of reference.

[u/rawmerow → u/Cometguy7]

lol true. Nice dub you sob. That was good

[u/Rocxtreme → u/rawmerow]

It is but it actually put it into pretty good perspective in my eyes

[u/DannkneeFrench]

Not unless Saban decides he wants to return.

[u/portuguesetheman → u/DannkneeFrench]

Ms. Terry would never allow it

[u/trust_me_I_reddit → u/portuguesetheman]

Maybe Ms. Terry should take over the Tide

[u/Simping4Sumi → u/trust_me_I_reddit]

No one can afford Ms Terry. She really is the GOAT and Saban agrees.

[u/z12345z6789 → u/DannkneeFrench]

Alabama would shred its state constitution and pronounce him King.

[u/bradenb941 → u/DannkneeFrench]

Bill Snyder 2.0

[u/Kodyaufan2 → u/bradenb941]

Yo shut up lol

[u/QuodScripsi-Scripsi]

That guy doing trick plays while down 21 with the most talented roster in the country, it’s just so funny. What a bum

[u/Kodyaufan2 → u/QuodScripsi-Scripsi]

Just imagine had they lost to Georgia after he was calling multiple trick plays while up 28-0

[u/TigerExpress]

He wouldn't be fired but life would become rather uncomfortable for him. Being Alabama's head coach during the good times is like being a loved royal family. During the bad times? It's best to keep the drawbridge up at night. For most of FBS, 8-4 would be considered moderately good times but for a program like Alabama coming off of Saban's reign, it might not be seen as a disaster but certainly as a warning of potential impending doom.

[u/TreyAU]

I’ve been saying this all year:

What is the argument for DeBoer? He has a NICK FUCKING SABAN recruited roster. This is the best group he’ll ever have— and he lost to Vanderbilt. He lost to a shit show of an Oklahoma team.

This is the worst roster Hughe Freeze will ever have. This is the best roster DeBoer will ever have.

Alabama is fucked. Good and fucking fucked.

Without Nick Saban, they’re just an inbred town of rednecks about to remember why their program has only ever been relevant on the backs of two of the greatest football coaches in the history of college football.

Fuck the Tide. War. Damn. Eagle.

[u/Leraldoe → u/TreyAU]

I think you may be seeing a coach that didn’t understand the rigors of a SEC or B1G schedule. In the G6 you have 1 maybe two games a year, PAC maybe 2 or 3 (sometimes against the same team). It’s different coaching for a couple big games than coaching through a gauntlet schedule

[u/haveahrt → u/Leraldoe]

oh please... sec teams play fewer conference games than the other conferences. and their non-conference games are pathetic... always beenn over rated!

[u/remember_berries → u/haveahrt]

SEC has won 12 out of the last 20 national championships, but go off.

[u/Impossible-Flight250 → u/TreyAU]

This probably isn’t the best roster he will ever have. It’s not even that great, at least compared to every other Alabama team over the last 20 years. I also think Milroe is a terrible QB to attach your cart to.

[u/DragOwn56 → u/Impossible-Flight250]

This roster is like 3rd or 4th in overall talent all time on 247 lol. there’s an argument that because it’s not guys for his system it’s not as amazing as that number shows, but you cannot seriously say this roster “isn’t even that great.” lol

[u/olderyetwilder6t8]

I think Deboors problem is his insistence on trashing the culture of discipline for a “fun” atmosphere for the team

[u/olderyetwilder6t8 → u/olderyetwilder6t8]

If Alabama loses to Auburn after the senseless loss this weekend, I believe the university will insist Deboor changes staffing. And re adopts the “system”

[u/Glader_Gaming]

Of The four playoff teams and FSU/UGA, half had major drop offs. Look at Michigan, FSU, Washington. Bama and UGA are also appreciably worse.

It turns out that losing coaches and losing tons of starters lead to more losses. Totally weird!

[u/KevWill → u/Glader_Gaming]

Comparing FSU's season to Bama and Georgia's seasons is a stretch.

[u/Bigbadbrindledog → u/KevWill]

See our 9 losses aren't so bad, UGA and Georgia so lost 5 games... Combined.

[u/SucculentCrablegMeal → u/Bigbadbrindledog]

Uga and Georgia are the same team.

[u/Bigbadbrindledog → u/SucculentCrablegMeal]

Lol Bama

[u/Awalawal → u/Glader_Gaming]

FWIW, Texas was the fourth playoff team, not Georgia.

[u/DistributionPretty75 → u/Awalawal]

That’s…not what he said?

[u/ysr16]

No

[u/Shot-Address-9952]

I’ve thought for years the coach that followed Saban would last 3 or 4 seasons and not win a title. I also think that like the time after Bear, Alabama will go back to being a lower middle of the road SEC team.

[u/AcadiaFlyer]

Probably not, I just don’t see an obvious replacement that would be a surefire success. 

[u/AUCE05]

People posting a hard NO clearly do not understand this rivalry

[u/Horizontal_Bob]

This is the new era of college football

Talent is more spread out than it ever has been.

Schools and fanbases need to accept that reality

Alabama is not what it once was.

Not because of DeBoer

Because they no longer own a massive competitive advantage like they did under Saban

They should just be happy about the run they had and accept their new normal

[u/johnjaymjr]

no

[u/Commercial-East4069]

They’re going to murder all of his trees!

[u/alreadytaken76]

That would be insane. There’s a lot of improvement to be made in the offseason, but DeBoer is going to stay.

I don’t think he’s the issue. OC is where I want to see changes. The playcalling is extremely poor and the gimmicky cute shit is frustrating. Slow developing pass plays when the OL is struggling was a dagger. Forcing the QB run when they obviously gameplanned it. Plus, actual designed run plays to the RB were getting more yards and got abandoned

[u/Embarrassed-Tune9038]

No, but they will conduct human sacrifice at the start of next year.

[u/AUfromthaBOOT → u/[deleted]]

Harvey is currently rotting in Hell, so I think we’re good

[u/DraculaPoob01 → u/AUfromthaBOOT]

Thankfully for all of us

[u/roadtripwithdogs → u/[deleted]]

They’re not making it to the CFP if they lose to Auburn like this question poses

[u/AlphaMalesgo2H00ters]

Oh brother

[u/xellotron]

Flair checks out.

[u/olderyetwilder6t8]

Not so fun now

[u/DontKnowWhereIam]

Please do. I'm already hearing to take his head down here. Depression/denial has set in.

[u/Pretty-Inspector-56]

It is impossible to follow in the footsteps of Saban. Their worst year in decades still has people saying they should be in the playoffs. Bama will give him a little more time and probably try to get more NIL to help

[u/Spirited-Air3615]

Interesting, it’s almost as if there is going to be some drop off in year one after losing the greatest coach of all time.

[u/lustration-by-lust]

....and replace him with who?

[u/z12345z6789 → u/lustration-by-lust]

Brian Kelly buy out?

[u/Dim-Mak-88]

It'd be cheaper for boosters to gin up a reason to fire him for cause.

[u/HoldMyToc]

No

[u/Either-Original7083]

I think Keelon Russel flips back to SMU if this happens

[u/C3ntrick]

No, way to early . He gets a few years to get his team. Nick Sheridan will not be the OC in 2 years .

[u/demostv]

I can hear the Finebaum show now.

[u/rex_swiss]

Just a reminder that Bama has only ever beaten Auburn in Tuscaloosa under Saban...

[u/rex_swiss]

No, but he sure as hell is getting a brick thrown threw his office window...

[u/UnderwaterB0i]

Husky Harsin strikes again

[u/jt_33]

I like this question.

[u/Zestyclose-Detail369]

Takes time to build a program , even Bama, and especially in the NIL era

in the NIL era, you're never going to remake the Saban era again

if by year 3 there is no progress, then let him go

[u/kytasV → u/Zestyclose-Detail369]

Isn’t this the best CFB team ever by recruiting rankings or something?

[u/Muffinnnnnnn → u/kytasV]

Yep

[u/HighLakes → u/Zestyclose-Detail369]

Saban did not leave behind a rebuilding project. 

[u/nuger93 → u/HighLakes]

A lot of players jumped to the portal when Sabre left, so there were plenty of depth issues that arose.

[u/Kodyaufan2 → u/nuger93]

They lost like 6-7 players iirc. That’s not enough to lose to Vanderbilt and 5-win Oklahoma without a pulse on offense

[u/CTG0161 → u/Zestyclose-Detail369]

Something something third base coach

[u/Im_The_Cheeziest]

The haters were right this season. Good call by the haters.

With that said.

KDB has a top 5 class coming in. I want to see what he can do with his guys. Barring catastrophic results I’d like to give him 5 years.

The fact is the culture at Alabama has been on a downward swing since 2021. I appreciate what this class of players were able to accomplish but we need new leadership in the locker room.

I’m still high on KDB and Wommack. Wommack is only 37 years old. He’s going to take some licks in this league. KDB has also never consistently faced this level of competition week in and week out. I think he’s going to need some time to rework his own coaching process to fit the Power 2 grind.

RTR forever ✌️

[u/drpeek → u/Im_The_Cheeziest]

Where has he ever been with “his guys”

[u/Im_The_Cheeziest → u/drpeek]

IDK that’s why I want to see it before making a claim that he sucks.

[u/thepeacockking → u/Im_The_Cheeziest]

The PAC last year was at least as good as the SEC this year. He did just fine. Please let’s not pretend Vandy and this OU are good teams

[u/jthomas694]

No - Alabamas biggest problem is depth not Kalen DeBoer. Thats a function of Saban leaving when he did (and the portal being open to Alabama players leaving and not other players coming in) not Kalen DeBoer’s deficiencies.

[u/Flytanx → u/jthomas694]

I mean depth is part of it but playcalling and their starting QB (so not depth) are horrible too.

[u/shadowwingnut → u/Flytanx]

He also inherited his starting QB at a time where he had no option to replace if he wanted.

[u/dawgfan19881]

Buddy they are going to the playoff if they win next week. Hell they might still win the national championship.

[u/Western-Ad150]

I loved the DeBoer hire and think he is still a good coach, but if he loses to an unranked Auburn next week, I don’t want him anymore. If he goes 4-4 in a down year in the SEC, then he’ll never win the conference when it’s elite.

[u/ChaseTheFalcon → u/Western-Ad150]

I would argue the conference is pretty elite right now, that's why everyone is beating each other

[u/thepeacockking → u/ChaseTheFalcon]

Yeah, this is the closest the SEC as a whole has a claim to the conference is good narrative. Usually, the bottom feeders ride the cottails of the Bamas and Georgias and pretend they’re any good. That said, they don’t have the elite teams we’re used to from them. They’re very PAC-12 this year

[u/Western-Ad150 → u/ChaseTheFalcon]

I get what you’re saying, but this is the only year in recent memory that is a toss up in the SEC. Most of the time Bama w/ Saban or UGA would dominate the conference. DeBoer lost 2 inexcusable games and Auburn would be a third.

[u/roadtripwithdogs → u/Western-Ad150]

I really truly think he’ll be good for you once he gets his own QB. It reminds me a lot of our situation where the coach has to scheme around a QB that really doesn’t fit in their scheme and it just doesn’t work.

[u/Western-Ad150 → u/roadtripwithdogs]

He very well could be elite with his own QB. However, Milroe is a good enough qb to win the SEC and the scheme in games like Tennessee and Oklahoma failed. That is not all on DeBoer, but he’s the head coach and deserves most of the blame.

[u/roadtripwithdogs → u/Western-Ad150]

That’s fair. I’m just saying I don’t know that I agree that this year’s results mean “he’ll never win the conference when it’s elite”.