The first year of the Kalen DeBoer era is complete with Alabama football , one where success fluctuated and the outcome produced something much different than what Crimson Tide fans had come to expect from teams led by Nick Saban .
Alabama finished with nine wins, a total smaller than any Saban team after his first season in 2007, a total that ended a 16-year stretch of 10 wins or more and three losses or less.
The second year of the DeBoer era has officially begun, one that will include many returning defensive pieces from 2024, a new starting quarterback and the same expectations that Alabama has come to expect each offseason.
But what does DeBoer have to live up to, compared to Alabama football coaches historically, in Year 2?
Four finished with 10 wins or more.
One finished with an SEC championship appearance.
None, however, finished with a national title or a conference championship.
Before the games kick off Aug. 30 at Florida State, here's a look at the Crimson Tide 's history with coaches in Year 2.
After a seven-win campaign in 2007, Saban and Alabama turned the tide in 2008.
The Crimson Tide finished the regular season undefeated, beating No. 9 Clemson in the season opener, the first of three top-15 wins. Alabama spent all of November as the No. 1 team in the country in the US LBM Coaches Poll.
Leading Alabama to its first SEC championship game since 1999, Saban lost to No. 2 Florida, 31-20, in its chance to advance to the BCS National Championship game. Later, Alabama lost to No. 7 Utah in the Sugar Bowl.
Alabama's 12 wins in 2008 resulted in its first double-digit win season since 2005, and the program's third since 1999.
After Alabama finished 5-4-1 in Bear Bryant's first season in 1958, the Crimson Tide took a step forward in 1959.
Alabama finished 7-2-2 with ranked wins against Georgia Tech and Auburn , a tie against a ranked Tennessee team, and a loss to a ranked Penn State team in the Liberty Bowl.
Starting the season unranked, the Crimson Tide finished No. 10 in the final Associated Press poll.
SIx Alabama football coaches finished their second seasons with fewer wins than their first.
Ray Perkins, who started with an 8-4 record in 1983, led the Crimson Tide to a 5-6 record in 1984 with losses to Boston College , Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, Georgia, Tennessee and LSU . Alabama entered the season No. 9 in the AP poll, and finished the season unranked.
Other than Perkins, no other Alabama coach had a regression in Year 2 since 1948, when Red Drew's Crimson Tide finished 6-4-1 after an 8-3 first-year campaign.
Frank Thomas (1932), Thomas Kelley (1916), Tubby Graves (1912) and J.W.H. Pollard (1907) each led the Tide to fewer wins in their second years as head coach.
Two Alabama football coaches left after two seasons with the program.
W.B Blount left the Crimson Tide after going 10-7 in two seasons in 1903-04.
Dennis Franchione, who finished 17-8 in 2001-02, left the Crimson Tide after 2002 to become the head coach at Texas A&M.
Nick Saban (2008): 12-2
Mike Shula (2004): 6-6
Dennis Franchione (2002): 10-3
Mike DuBose (1998): 7-5
Gene Stallings (1991): 11-1
Bill Curry (1988): 9-3
Ray Perkins (1984): 5-6
Bear Bryant (1959) 7-2-2
Jennings Whitworth (1956): 2-7-1
Red Drew (1948): 6-4-1
Frank Thomas (1932): 8-2
Wallace Wade (1924): 8-1
Xen Scott (1920): 10-1
Thomas Kelley (1916): 6-3
Tubby Graves (1912): 5-3-1
J.W.H. Pollard (1907): 5-1-2
W.B. Blount (1904): 7-3
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: How Alabama football coaches performed in second season with Crimson Tide
