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The Tuscaloosa News
Alabama football fans sound off on first-year coach Kalen DeBoer and the 2024 season
- Story byThe Tuscaloosa News
- Alabama football fans sound off on first-year coach Kalen DeBoer and the 2024 season
The 2024 Alabama football season turned sour after September, as the Crimson Tide followed a thrilling home win over Georgia with losses in four of its last nine games. The tailspin knocked first-year coach Kalen DeBoer's team out of the College Football Playoff's first 12-team field, and landed with a thud in a 19-13 loss to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
Alabama fans will expect marked improvement in 2025, despite a schedule that will be a bit tougher than it was last year. What are they saying about it all? Onto the mailbag!
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Drew from Kansas City writes: I think all Bama fans need to give Kalen DeBoer time. Everyone is too quick to overreact and not remember the roster turnover that occurred after Saban retired. Also, everyone is forgetting the shortened timeline DeBoer had to hire a staff. I expect big staff changes, including Ryan Grubb coming back to be OC, and a much improved team in 2025.
Hey Drew: You're absolutely right that one year isn't enough to judge DeBoer. At the same time, it goes without saying that if UA were to miss a 12-team playoff for a second year in a row, a firestorm would follow.
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Shane from Lakeway, Texas writes: I am genuinely worried about lack of accountability under DeBoer. He seemed to assign more importance to loyalty than performance and accountability. Malachi's tantrum and sticking with Milroe are the two most obvious examples.
Hey Shane: I wrote on your specific point in the wake of the bowl loss.
Monte from Brooklyn writes: B- first season. Milroe turned out to be an anchor in the losses, but KDB had enough talent to coach around it, and didn't. For '25, he'll need stellar QB play and a more commanding presence as the head coach to reach the playoffs.
Hey Monte: Although Milroe struggled in the losses, he wasn't alone. The offensive line was too inconsistent as well, which has been a recurring problem going back two seasons now, if not three.
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Matt from Baton Rouge writes: I got about what I expected for DeBoer's first season - just in a different way. Losses to Georgia/ LSU would've been better received than Vandy/ Oklahoma . The Oklahoma and Michigan losses were two of the worst played games I've ever seen from Alabama.
Hey Matt:I don't think it's a coincidence that the Vanderbilt loss immediately followed the Georgia win. Keeping the locker room on an even keel is a hard but necessary task for any coaching staff. On that subject, the OU loss might as well have immediately followed the LSU win. The Mercer game actually came in between, but in Norman, Alabama played like a team that thought it punched its playoff ticket in Baton Rouge.
CJ from Birmingham writes: I want to see us build offensive and defensive lines that control games. I love explosive plays, but consistent drives getting first downs and using the clock are very satisfying. I will renew my season tickets and pull for DeBoer to learn from this season and improve upon it next year.
Hey CJ: Both lines of scrimmage need improvement, no question. I believe DL James Smith could be one of the breakout players in the entire SEC next season. On the O-line, it's more about shoring up weak spots than finding the next superstar.
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Matt from Nashville writes: Kalen DeBoer's 2024 season was a mixed bag. Overall, I would give him a B-. Retaining key pieces of the team after Saban's sudden departure was a great achievement, but the team seemed to lack discipline (too many penalties), and bad losses to teams we should have defeated. ... For 2025 improvement, the team must focus on consistent QB play, reducing penalties, and treating every opponent as a must win game. Our 2025 schedule seems mostly favorable, outside of a new QB making his first start at FSU and on the road against UGA and Auburn . I am hopeful for a playoff appearance.
Hey Matt: I was with you point for point until the schedule opinion. It was one of the tougher schedules in the SEC in 2024, and it's even tougher (but not by much) in '25.
Ross in Paris, Tenn. writes: Nice guys finish middle of the pack in the SEC so next year will be telling for DeBoer. Hopefully the handcuffs are off and he is free to do with the roster what is necessary. The schedule is no easier next year so nine wins might be overachieving in 2025. On 'O' we can't have meltdown games by the QB. On 'D' we may have been decent with points-per-game but tackling has got to get better. Overall not impressed with weekly preparation for weak opponents.
Hey Ross: I hear you that the schedule is a nasty one. But if Alabama goes 9-3 again and misses a 12-team playoff for a second year in a row, Alabama fans will be hard-pressed to describe 2025 as an overachievement. This we know: if UA goes 10-2 or better with a new starter at quarterback against a schedule that includes Georgia, Tennessee , LSU, South Carolina , Missouri , Oklahoma, Auburn, and two Power Four non-conference games, DeBoer will head to the playoff as the toast of Tuscaloosa.
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Derek from Indianapolis writes: (DeBoer's) first season was a failure, a massive failure. Losing 3 times to teams with a spread of 14+ is almost impossible. The level of detail and sense of urgency against good teams was there, (but) it wasn't even remotely there against "gimme games". He did the same thing at Washington, but they just ended up winning those. Losing to Michigan made his seat warm entering next year. Would like to see a competent offense for '25 considering he is an offensive coach.
Hey Derek: Three losses to double-digit underdogs was indeed maddening. Even more so considering how well UA played in wins over Georgia and LSU. Not to mention a 34-0 blanking of a Missouri team that ended up winning 10 games. It'll be a very different team in terms of personnel in 2025, especially on offense. It'll need to be a more consistent one, too.
Tuscaloosa News sport columnist Chase Goodbread.
Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread is also the weekly co-host of Crimson Cover TV on WVUA-23. Reach him at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on X.com @chasegoodbread.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Mailbag: Alabama football fans sound off on DeBoer and the 2024 season
