The 2023 playoff semifinal had Jim Harbaugh on one side and the legendary Nick Saban on the other. There were 96,371 eyeballs glued to Pasadena as Michigan beat once-unbeatable Alabama in overtime by 20-27 and went on to win the championship. For the Alabama players, this was a loss that was quite hard to take; still, considering the storied history, they could bounce back the next season with Saban’s coaching brilliance, right?
They had no idea that Nick Saban, who had spent 17 years with them and had won six national titles and nine SEC championships, would be leaving his coaching position. Part of the reason was to do with the players at Alabama. Saban spoke to ESPN about how the Michigan loss influenced his decision to retire. “I was disappointed in the way that the players acted after the game. You gotta win with class. You gotta lose with class. We had our opportunities to win the game, and we didn’t do it—and then showing your a– and being frustrated and throwing helmets and doing that stuff…that’s not who we are and what we’ve promoted in our program.”
Saban announced his decision abruptly in a team meeting, and what followed was mass attrition and uncertainty as the program tried to put bandages all over. More than 25 players entered the transfer portal, along with two star players, Caleb Downs and Kadyn Proctor. Even then, the new Alabama head coach, Kalen DeBoer, worked hard and had 30 new players to choose from. He finished the season at 9-4 with disappointing losses against Oklahoma and Vanderbilt. Alabama officially was now in a different ‘low expectations’ era, although their fans still didn’t accept the compromise.
In a recent interview, Paul Finebaum talks with Michael Bratton on the ‘That SEC Football’ podcast. The primary concern Michael expressed was about the level at which Alabama would be playing the next season and how it wouldn’t be enough for the Bama nation. “If you ask the Alabama coaches, the excuses are gone year two, and everyone keeps telling me that this is the most talented roster in college football….so it’s playoff or bust, and it may even be championship or bust for Kalen DeBoer in year two at Alabama.” Paul Finebaum then interjected Michael and added a more grim scenario.
“I think playoffs might be enough for this Alabama. The bar has been lowered, and they have lowered their expectations just a little bit.” Well, that does present a more realistic scenario for Alabama in Kalen DeBoer’s second stint. However, will the Bama nation take just playoff qualification as an ‘achievement’?
Not really. This Alabama team under Kalen DeBoer and the roster he recruited isn’t much different from what it was with Nick Saban. Currently, the 2025 recruiting class ranks 3rd nationally and has three 5-star talents, which not everyone can boast. The addition of Keelon Russell provides a renewed and potentially optimistic QB development battle. Then Michael Carroll is also someone in the O line who, at 6’6″ and 315 lbs, will instantly take snaps as a starter. Dijon Lee at cornerback addresses some of the issues they had in defense, as the player should transition well into the squad. Still, questions would be there for the QB position as Jalen Milroe has departed to the NFL draft, and we don’t know which player would be the QB1.
More twists in the Alabama QB battle?
The QB battle at Alabama is more confusing than choosing Subway toppings. There are three players currently on the Alabama roster who are genuine contenders for that elusive QB1 spot. Those are Ty Simpson, Austin Mack, and the true freshman Keelon Russell. The case for Keelon Russel becoming the QB1 initially is quite shaky (although it can happen unexpectedly), so the battle is between Austin and Ty Simpson. Ryan Grubb, Alabama’s new OC, fueled the battle with an open take.
“I don’t think anybody has separated. They’re all playing good, but they’re not playing great yet. You’re looking for the guy that’s going to be consistent, that can show up the same and make the same plays all the time.” And then Kalen DeBoer also echoed similar thoughts. “I know people want to know a decision and things like that. For us, we don’t feel like they’re to the point where there’s separation, where there’s a ceiling that they’ve hit.” So, with uncertainty hitting the QB battle at Tuscaloosa, what can we expect?
Well, currently, no quarterback may be a favorite for Alabama’s main coaches, but the media has found their favorite quarterback, Ty Simpson. A five-star prospect of the 2022 class, Ty Simpson, has immense potential with a rating of 97.24 on ON3. The case? The guy is reported to be the ‘leader’ in the locker room, as he is also on the leadership council. Additionally, his experience and longer tenure within the system could work in his favor. That doesn’t mean that Austin Mack can’t win the job. He has the luxury of having a relationship with the now OC Ryan Grubb, as he was the one who recruited Austin in Washington. In addition, the former Washington quarterback does have the qualities to land that job. To be completely honest, speculating on the issue and predicting who would win the job is futile at this time. So, we can just wait and see how things unfold.
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