Money talks, but loyalty walks the walk. When Michigan came calling with a “blank check,” Kalen DeBoer didn’t blink. He turned down the offer and stood firm in his commitment to Alabama. That shows the kind of loyalty he has to his team, but it might ruffle a few feathers—especially for Lane Kiffin.
“I would have had to be living under a rock (not to know),” Alabama’s head coach, Kalen DeBoer, said in an interview with On3. “I’m not naïve; I never talked to anyone, not one time. I just don’t know how you could live with yourself and look into your players’ eyes if you’re looking at other opportunities in the midst of the season and getting ready for a playoff game and hopefully making a run at a national championship.”
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Last year, around 15 coaches lost their jobs, making it very difficult for the teams to find a suitable leader. The same was the case with Michigan, as Sherrone Moore was fired due to an inappropriate relationship with another employee. That’s when finding a tough coach became evident for them, and they wanted to get Kalen DeBoer. He knows how to handle pressure, especially taking over for Nick Saban.
That pedigree seemed like a perfect fit. But for DeBoer, staying with his team mattered the most. Alabama was on the verge of entering the playoffs even though they lost against Indiana; later on, he couldn’t leave his team in the middle of a very crucial moment. But that’s something Lane Kiffin failed to do. After taking Ole Miss to the playoffs, he left them just before the playoffs.
Now, even though Kiffin wanted to coach his team despite taking LSU’s job, his AD, Keith Carter, didn’t agree. In the end, the team had to perform under interim HC Pete Golding and lost against Miami. Everyone had mixed opinions on his move; some looked at it as a better transition, like Nick Saban, but some trashed it for leaving his team at a tough moment. But for DeBoer, he could never take such a step, even if it means staying with Alabama forever.
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It’s pretty evident that Kalen DeBoer’s move to Alabama isn’t that celebrated. He couldn’t take them to the playoffs in the 2024 season and lost against teams like Vanderbilt, Michigan, and Oklahoma that year. Then last season, too, the team lost its season opener against a 2-10 team, Florida State. He constantly faced the wrath of fans, but never thought of leaving the program.
DeBoer didn’t come to Alabama for the spotlight or to use it as an opportunity to go somewhere else, but to make a change.
“I didn’t come here to follow Coach Saban only to turn around after two years and go somewhere else,” DeBoer said. “I mean, this is Alabama. I’m at an amazing place. That’s the way I was looking at it. I chose to be here. I love the support and love our players and love the direction and everything the staff has done to put the pieces together here over the last two years.”
DeBoer knew the pressure that would come with this job, and even if he couldn’t take his team to win, he made sure he put up a strong one on the field. For the upcoming season, he has put up a very strong recruiting class with a No. 6 ranking nationally, and last year, it was No. 3 as per Rivals Industry rankings. Now, he is all set to break the SEC curse of not reaching the finals in the SEC since the 2022 season by pushing Alabama to the playoffs.
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To make sure that happens this spring, he is focusing on one of the most important positions in the game.
Kalen DeBoer shares QB1 update
After Ty Simpson’s choice to turn pro, the team is evaluating two quarterbacks this spring, who are redshirt junior Austin Mack and redshirt freshman Keelon Russell. Both of them are showing promising results, and even Kalen DeBoer is pretty impressed by their progress.
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Rose Bowl-Alabama at Indiana Jan 1, 2026 Pasadena, CA, USA Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen Deboer looks on before the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Indiana Hoosiers at Rose Bowl Stadium. Pasadena Rose Bowl Stadium CA USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKirbyxLeex 20260101_lbm_al2_004
“They did a great job today,” DeBoer continues. “… I love the aggressiveness that they have. They are not gun-shy. They go make plays and attack them whenever they get the opportunities with the throws, and they are making the throws. The guys are coming through, making the plays for them with catches. I think they are gaining more confidence in the offensive line, I think, each and every day. That’s going to take time.”
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Austin Mack has more experience because he already played as a backup in 2025. He completed 24 out of 32 passes for 228 yards and 2 touchdowns in four games. He also stepped in against Indiana and threw for 103 yards after Simpson got injured. Plus, he is already familiar with OC Ryan Grubb and DeBoer’s system from his time with the Washington Huskies.
Now, Keelon Russell has played less, but he still showed good signs. He appeared in two games and threw for 143 yards and 2 touchdowns. DeBoer’s future lies in his decision on QB, so let’s wait and see which one finally wins it.
