It isn’t been the inaugural season that Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer had anticipated in Tuscaloosa. After shedding to Oklahoma, 24-3, this previous weekend, the Crimson Tide are 8-3 and certain now on the surface trying in on the Faculty Soccer Playoffs.
It was all the time going to be robust to switch Nick Saban — who introduced six championships to Tuscaloosa and received one other with LSU — however this has been a worst-case situation for DeBoer.
Saban misplaced some large video games, however he by no means would have dared to lose to Vanderbilt, a crew that has been scrappy however is barely even bowl-eligible in 2024. He additionally by no means would have misplaced to Oklahoma whereas solely placing up three factors. Baked into that loss is the truth that it was 3-3 till 37 seconds left within the first half. The Tide have been outscored 21-0 after mustering only a subject aim early on.
This does not appear to be Alabama soccer. Once more, it was by no means going to be straightforward to switch Saban, however the Tide are so down proper now that ESPN character Stephen A. Smith thinks they should give Saban a name and see if he desires to educate once more.
“You succeeded Nick Saban…That is within the instant aftermath of Nick Saban’s departure,” Smith mentioned on ESPN’s “First Take”, referring to DeBoer (h/t On3). “So far as I’m involved, Alabama followers in every single place? They need to be begging Nick Saban to give up Faculty GameDay – as a result of he’s doing an amazing job. Persuade him, beg him to give up the rattling present, okay, and return to Alabama proper now and save this program from an abyss.”