Alabama's Kalen DeBoer Says Continuity Key for Year 2

Alabama's Kalen DeBoer Says Continuity Key for Year 2 originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

ATLANTA — After all the change that beset Alabama last season, coach Kalen DeBoer is relishing in the prospect of familiarity. The Crimson Tide are near the top of the SEC in returning production with a senior-laden lineup, and DeBoer is reuniting with offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb.

“Continuity is a huge piece of what Year 2 is all about,” DeBoer said at SEC media days on Wednesday.

That’s a far cry from this time last year, when ’Bama was preparing for its first season without Nick Saban since 2006. The ensuing 9-4 campaign would have been good enough at most programs, but the Crimson Tide are one of one.

Missing the College Football Playoff is a disappointment at Alabama. The way that reality unfolded — a historic upset at Vanderbilt and a deflating defeat at Oklahoma — made matters worse. DeBoer admitted his first year on the job did not live up to the ’Bama standard.

“We fell short of making the playoffs,” DeBoer said. “It's as simple as that, right? Giving yourself a chance to go compete for a championship.”

Expectations for the Crimson Tide, internally and externally, have hardly wavered heading into 2025. They rank yet again among the title favorites, aided by returning stars at wide receiver, along the offensive line and all over the defense.

DeBoer mentioned Alabama’s shortcomings in close games (three of its four losses came by one score) and struggles on the road (2-4 away from Bryant-Denny Stadium) as focus areas.

“We really had a great offseason understanding where we fell short, why we fell short,” DeBoer said. “Not just the what and the how but the why.”

He’s hopeful more reps — for himself and for his players — will allow them to improve on those fronts.

For all the talk about continuity, reps at quarterback are sparse across the roster. Two-year starter Jalen Milroe departed for the NFL and left behind a three-headed quarterback competition between junior Ty Simpson, sophomore Austin Mack and freshman Keelon Russell.

DeBoer confirmed that Simpson, a former five-star prospect, would be the starter if the season started today. He said he’s doing as much as possible to prepare his quarterbacks for high-pressure situations.

“I think sometimes going through a competition prepares you for the pressures that are going to come within a season,” DeBoer said. “I've seen that over and over throughout the years when I've had other competitions, as well.”

DeBoer said he has confidence in his players that they’re ready to step up, and they in turn have faith in him. Senior linebacker Deontae Lawson acknowledged the difficult task DeBoer faced in replacing a coach of Saban’s stature. Lawson added that DeBoer’s willingness to follow in the footsteps of a legend shows the confidence he has in himself.

“We're all for DeBoer, and we're all into what he has to say or what he wants to do for the program,” Lawson said. “I think he definitely feels that, and the players feel that as well. We're excited, and we're ready.”

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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.