Ralph Russo had a fanciful idea that might interest Alabama football fans. He acknowledged it being more fanciful than substantive, but college football's LONG offseason, thoughts that entertain more than inform are welcome.
Russo boldly predicted the 2030 head coach for every Power Four football team. Of the 16, 2026 SEC football head coaches, Russo projects that 11 will be elsewhere in 2030. The five projected to be with their current program suggest the most successful SEC programs over the next four seasons: Kirby Smart and Georgia; Steve Sarkisian and Texas; Clark Lea and Vanderbilt; Lane Kiffin and LSU; and Alex Golesh and Auburn.
Russo explained why he projects such upheaval, "In college football years, five seasons from now might as well be a lifetime. ... Heading into 2026, the average tenure of the 68 Power 4 head coaches is 4.75 seasons. ...Go back to 2021, and you’ll find 19 power conference head coaches in the same place they started that season."
Kalen DeBoer - 2030 Head Coach at ...
The 2030 Alabama Crimson Tide head coach will not be Kalen DeBoer. According to Russo, Alabama's head man will be the 2026 Florida head coach, Jon Sumrall. Kalen DeBoer is projected to be the head coach for the USC Trojans. Russo does not opine about how coaching transitions will happen. Alabama football fans are left to form their own opinions. We can probably safely say that if Russo is correct, Kalen DeBoer will never win a national championship at Alabama, and that Sumrall will have a run of success with the Gators.
Russo projects seven more 2026 SEC football head coaches will not be SEC head coaches in 2030: Josh Heupel; Brent Venables; Ryan Silverfield; Jeff Lebby; Pete Golding; Shane Beamer; and Mike Elko.
Along with Sumrall flipping jobs inside the SEC, Russo has Eli Drinkwitz coaching Oklahoma and Will Stein coaching the Tennessee Vols.
Before Alabama football fans jump on an 'I told you DeDoer would fail' bandwagon, consider that even if Russo is correct, DeBoer's transition might be one of his choosing.
A thank-you to Ralph Russo for some intriguing reading and a closing reminder that, as fun as it can be, entertainment sizzle is not substance.