On Friday, the Alabama Crimson Tide might have received its best news of the year when the team flipped offensive tackle Bear Fretwell from the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
With Fretwell's commitment, the Tide's class of 2026 moved up to No. 3 in the national rankings, and the rise in recruiting success is exactly what head coach Kalen DeBoer needed after a lackluster performance during the 2024 season.
However, a win in the recruiting column is just part of what DeBoer needs to check off his to-do list in order to ensure that his job in Tuscaloosa lasts for more than a few years.
Alabama moves to the No. 3 overall class in the @247Sports Team Composite Rankings with the Friday afternoon addition of OT Bear Fretwell.
— Brett Greenberg (@BrettGreenberg_) July 25, 2025
Crimson Tide is up to 21 commitments in the cycle — No. 1 UGA (30) & No. 2 USC (31); No. 4 Notre Dame & No. 5 Texas A&M each with 26 commits pic.twitter.com/QS9GhSqOxT
Kalen DeBoer isn't in the hot seat, but it's warm
Normally, finishing with a 9-4 overall record and a bowl game appearance would be considered a massive victory for a head coach in his first year with a program. Except, this is the Alabama Crimson Tide, and DeBoer is having to fill the shoes of Nick Saban.
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Not to mention, DeBoer had one of the highest win percentages of any head coach in the country before he took over Alabama.
The losses to Vanderbilt and Oklahoma tanked DeBoer's chances of calling the regular season a good one, despite finishing with a 9-3 record and earning a spot in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Then, the Tide lost to a highly disappointing Michigan Wolverines squad in the postseason.
Alabama's 13-point performance against the Wolverines, even though they were the defending National Champions, was utterly disappointing and it ensured that DeBoer's position with the Crimson Tide was far from comfortable.
In order to cement his place in Tuscaloosa, DeBoer needs more than a hot streak of recruiting. Yes, it's a step in the right direction, but he needs to do it year after year, and he needs to win, and win big.
This season, DeBoer can't allow his team to falter against opponents that are supposed to be cupcake matchups, like the Vanderbilt Commodores, whom the Tide plays on Oct. 4 this year.
The recruiting success is a good milestone, but it is far from the finish line. This season probably won't make or break DeBoer's tenure with the team, but it will undeniably increase the temperature of his seat if he can't find more success.