He can't have a season like he did last year.
Josh Pate Names Prominent SEC Coach Under Immense Pressure originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2024 college football season introduced new coaches at several schools nationwide. Some of these coaches had successful first seasons, while others are looking to improve in their second year.
One of the coaches in the middle of the rankings is Kalen DeBoer, the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide. In his first year, DeBoer led the team to a record of 9-4. The Crimson Tide finished as the first team excluded from playoff selection. While this may be a decent season for many programs, Alabama has higher expectations than most.
On the "Josh Pate College Football Show," the college football analyst mentioned that DeBoer will face pressure this year to avoid winning only nine games again.
"Anybody who tells you that Kalen DeBoer wouldn't have a lot of job security pressure if he only won nine games again, they're wrong," Pate said. "That wouldn't stop a lot of people from yelling it. They yelled it about Ryan Day last year. ... If Kalen DeBoer only wins nine and he barely misses out on the playoff again, they yell it."
Pate mentioned that no one seems to mind it took DeBoer a moment to settle in during his first year at Alabama. He believes there are several signs indicating a positive season for the Crimson Tide, such as successful recruiting and retaining key players, without significant losses to the transfer portal. However, it’s essential that these indicators translate into results on the field.
ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) is designed to evaluate team strength and serve as a reliable predictor of a team's performance throughout the season. According to the FPI, Alabama is ranked as the No. 3 team in the nation, trailing only the Texas Longhorns and the Georgia Bulldogs.
The FPI forecasts that Alabama will end the season with a record of 9-3 and gives the team a 17.2% chance of winning the SEC. Additionally, the FPI indicates that the Crimson Tide have a 66.2% likelihood of making the playoffs for the first time under Coach DeBoer. Alabama also holds a 10.2% chance of winning the national championship, which ties them with the defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes for the third-best odds in the nation.
The Crimson Tide will begin their season at Doak S. Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida, against the Florida State Seminoles at 3:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 30.
Related: Paul Finebaum Names Major SEC Program That Will Silence Doubters This Season
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
