There’s no question this is a massive season for Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer as he enters his third year with the program.
DeBoer inherited enormous expectations after replacing legendary head coach Nick Saban following the 2023 season.
Even so, Saban has remained one of DeBoer’s biggest supporters and attended SEC Media Days on Wednesday, where he listened to the Alabama head coach speak.
Saban Speaks Out About Alabama
During an appearance on SEC Network, Saban said he believes Alabama is flying under the radar entering the 2026 season, which he thinks could benefit DeBoer.
“The one thing about Alabama this year is they’re flying under the radar a bit — a little bit unknown. I actually kind of liked that as a coach because when we were picked high, I always worried about how is this going to affect our offseason, our preparation, the culture you’re trying to develop as a team. Maybe Coach DeBoer really likes the fact that they’re flying under the radar a little.”
Nick Saban to SEC Network: “The one thing about Alabama this year is they’re flying under the radar a bit — a little bit unknown. I actually kind of liked that as a coach because when we were picked high, I always worried about how is this going to affect our offseason, our…
— Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) July 22, 2026
Saban Addresses Alabama’s Roster Turnover
One of the biggest questions facing DeBoer this season is how Alabama will handle its roster turnover.
The Crimson Tide lost 23 players to the transfer portal, had 10 players selected in the NFL Draft, and saw another nine sign as undrafted free agents.
That turnover has created plenty of position battles heading into training camp. On Wednesday, Saban addressed the challenge and praised DeBoer for navigating college football’s new era.
“I think one of the things that people can’t overlook is the fact that you have so much turnover on your roster now,” Saban said on SEC Network. “Like he said, we got 50 new players. I think you try to fill in needs physically on your team – like we talked about offensive line being a potential issue, but really a good defensive team and a core group of defensive players that you could be really good on defense.
“But how is that all going to fit together? What kind of culture are you going to be able to create when it comes to intangibles, toughness, and sustaining a high level of success that you need to be able to get through this conference? I think Kalen has done a really, really good job of trying to build that culture, but you never know how 50 new players are going to respond to it, and I think that’s going to be the key for him.”
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