The college football season is less than a month away. Soon, the race for the College Football Playoff will begin, with programs across the country vying for a spot in the 12-team field. One of the biggest offseason storylines has centered on the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Head coach Kalen DeBoer has faced the challenge of succeeding one of college football’s greatest dynasties. While DeBoer arrived with an impressive résumé, many were surprised Alabama hired someone without SEC coaching experience to replace Nick Saban. Still, in just two seasons, DeBoer has guided the Crimson Tide to the College Football Playoff.
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Even so, pressure mounted early last season. Paul Finebaum joined That SEC Podcast and shared a revealing anecdote.
“I ran into some fat cat at the hotel really early I didn’t know him, but he was a major booster staying at the Capstone Hotel in Tuscaloosa,” Finebaum said.
“He said, ‘You know, things were pretty grim after the Florida State loss!’ I said, ‘Really?’ He said, ‘Yeah. There were calls being made,’ this is Day 1 of the season-Sunday morning. On Sunday morning, calls were being made like, ‘What’s it going to take, if this doesn’t turn around for us, to buy DeBoer out?’”
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Many people overreacted after Alabama’s Week 1 loss to Florida State. At the time, some questioned whether the Crimson Tide dynasty had officially ended, while others wondered if Mike Norvell had finally turned Florida State into a legitimate national contender.
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Neither narrative proved to be true. Alabama rebounded to finish the regular season 10-2 and earned a College Football Playoff berth. Florida State, meanwhile, went 5-7 and missed a bowl game. In hindsight, the Week 1 result proved to be an outlier.
Still, DeBoer may be feeling the pressure. Although the Crimson Tide reached the playoff, Alabama has not won a national championship in six seasons.
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That kind of title drought is unusual for a program that dominated the sport under Saban, beginning with the 2009 national championship. Alabama has come close several times since winning its last title, but expectations in Tuscaloosa remain as high as ever. It’s reasonable to expect the pressure from fans will only continue to build.
As for the boosters, Finebaum’s story does little to ease concerns. With Alabama’s 2027 recruiting outlook facing questions, DeBoer and his staff have a critical 2026 season ahead.
What will DeBoer and the Crimson Tide need to accomplish in 2026 to keep the pressure at bay?
