Just nine months ago, Kalen DeBoer took the job as the next coach of the Alabama program. After 17 years of Nick Saban, a new era had begun. Whether it was spring practice, the A-Day scrimmage, or recruiting, the transition from Saban to DeBoer was seamless.
But after two losses in the previous three games, the Crimson Tide looks far from the team that beat Georgia at the end of September and was ranked No. 1 overall in the country. Fans, media, and former players have all done their fair share of badgering DeBoer and Alabama, and the fact that the Crimson Tide’s roster is loaded with talent is what breeds frustration.
However, Alabama play-by-play broadcaster Christ Stewart believes it isn’t just that simple. “Da Bear (Bryant) struggled his first year back in Tuscaloosa inheriting a tough situation, Da GOAT (Saban) struggled in his first year inheriting a less than ideal situation, and DeBoer inherited a good job,” Stewart said. Although it was a good job for DeBoer, Stewart sees some of the difficulties that came with DeBoer’s decision. “He inherited a Mercedes, but if there’s not a full tank of gas, it’s hard to get all the way to where you want to go,” Stewart said. “There were a couple of tires with tread on them and didn’t have a full tank of gas.
That doesn’t mean you can’t drive it, it doesn’t mean you can’t get it into victory lane, but you’re going to have to make a couple of pit stops that you may not have anticipated. Right now, I think we’re seeing some of that. “There are times where year one falls just great, but it’s a rarity,” Stewart said.
