Alabama beat reporter gives a little life to unsettling Kalen DeBoer rumors

After a tense couple of weeks early in the season following Alabama's disappointing season-opening performance and loss to Florida State, Kalen DeBoer was on the outs with the Crimson Tide's fanbase and had at least one vocal board member voicing his displeasure to a college football insider.

But then Alabama reeled off eight straight wins, and all has been right in the DeBoer and Alabama marriage.

But could that be about to change?

Most level-headed Alabama fans avoided being overly critical of DeBoer and the coaching staff in the aftermath of the two-point home loss to Oklahoma. Most could recognize that the Oklahoma loss felt different than the five others under DeBoer. Alabama didn't play like an ill-prepared team; instead, it just had too many catastrophic plays go against it. Alabama won every statistical category except the ones that mattered the most: turnovers and the scoreboard.

But while the level-headedness is a nice change of pace for a fanbase that tends to overreact, a loss to Auburn in the Iron Bowl next week could change that entirely. Because the loss to the Tigers would knock the Crimson Tide out of the SEC Championship Game and College Football Playoff picture. It would be a second straight 9-3 regular season, and a second straight missed playoff despite the field expanding to 12 teams last year.

Since Alabama first won the National Championship under Nick Saban in 2009, Alabama hasn't gone two years in a row without either playing in the BCS National Championship Game or making the College Football Playoff.

I don't believe there would be any serious chatter around firing DeBoer if he lost the Iron Bowl this year, but he would begin feeling serious heat from the fanbase, which some believe could cause the second-year Tide head coach to look for an "off-ramp."

Alabama beat writer Nick Kelly was asked about rumors of Penn State's interest in DeBoer and whether the Alabama head coach might consider making the jump. Kelly didn't exactly put those rumors to rest.

Could Kalen DeBoer really consider leaving Alabama?

It's not exactly without precedent that an Alabama coach could look for an off-ramp and leave the Crimson Tide.

Dennis Franchione did it after the 2002 season to take the Texas A&M job. Alabama was on probation, however, and under vastly different circumstances than it currently is.

Bill Curry left Alabama to take the Kentucky job following the 1989 season, but that was under intense pressure from the administration following a third straight loss to Auburn in the Iron Bowl.

DeBoer isn't feeling that kind of pressure, at least not yet. He wouldn't be feeling that type of pressure even if Alabama loses to Auburn, either. But perhaps he could see it on the horizon and choose to leave before he's asked to?

It's not impossible, though it feels unlikely at this point. DeBoer is heavily invested in the future of this program and has recruited at a ridiculously high level since arriving in Tuscaloosa. He knows he has the infrastructure at Alabama to reach his goal of winning a National Championship.

DeBoer was targeted by Greg Byrne in part because of his unwavering confidence. It took a level of confidence most don't have to be willing to succeed Saban in Tuscaloosa. If DeBoer is actually willing to look for a potential "off-ramp" after just two seasons, he's not the guy Byrne thought he was getting when he hired him.