Kalen DeBoer could face make-or-break scenario without Jalen Milroe

We'll see just how good of a coach Kalen DeBoer is next season at Alabama. This year, he mostly inherited players who stayed after former Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban announced his retirement. 

While DeBoer was able to lead this Crimson Tide team to nine wins and a ReliaQuest Bowl appearance against Michigan in a rematch of last year’s Rose Bowl and College Football Playoff semifinal, the Crimson Tide came up short. Now, after the season, an exodus of Tide players are NFL-bound. 

Among those players is Jalen Milroe. Although I don’t think he’s a great NFL prospect, he’s headed for a professional football career. Milroe and others departing means next year’s team will look more like DeBoer’s team and less like Saban’s. 

That will be the true test of how good of a coach he will be at Bama; can he win with his own players? 

Kalen DeBoer’s toughest task as coach at Alabama is about to begin

Milroe, while not being a prolific passer, did wonders for the Alabama offense when he wasn’t throwing interceptions. He was a dangerous run all season long, scoring 20 rushing touchdowns, even though Michigan stifled him in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

Running the ball was the one thing he did consistently, and his mobility bailed Alabama out multiple times throughout the season. And, it’s probably the one factor carrying his draft stock. That said, how will DeBoer handle a quarterback who’s not nearly as dangerous of a dual threat as Milroe?

DeBoer will have to find Milroe’s replacement via a player already on the roster, a high school recruit or deep within the transfer portal. Can DeBoer coach a true pocket passer? And can Alabama build an offense around a player who's not Milroe under DeBoer? That will be his toughest task yet. Luckily for Bama, their coach has done it before. 

When DeBoer was at Washington, he turned Michael Penix Jr. into a top-10 pick and now starter with a shot at leading the Atlanta Falcons to the playoffs. During the 2023-24 season, Penix and the Huskies went a perfect 12-0 in the regular season. 

They ended up playing Michigan for a national championship. And though they came up short, it was the type of season that landed DeBoer in Tuscaloosa. Now we’ll really get to see if DeBoer can uphold the legacy Saban built. 

Alabama fans were irate that the Crimson Tide missed the CFP — but context is key. Saban went 7-6 in his first season, DeBoer went 9-4 and will finish ranked in the top 25. That doesn’t deserve to have your job under fire. 

But if he doesn’t get to the CFP next season and if he regresses, it may raise some questions on if he can actually succeed in the SEC.