Alabama's 35-point loss to Indiana in the Rose Bowl was embarrassing. There's no sugar-coating that. It was the most lopsided loss in Crimson Tide postseason history, and one that leaves a sour taste in the mouths of fans heading into the offseason despite the program taking a step forward in Kalen DeBoer's second season.
As has frequently been the case in DeBoer's two seasons in Tuscaloosa, he is taking heavy criticism in the aftermath of the 38-3 loss in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, a game that proved that there is still a large gap separating Alabama and the elite teams in college football.
It's a tough pill to swallow, but there's plenty of reason for optimism. This team was better than last year's team. Despite obvious limitations, Alabama won two more games in 2025 than in 2024 and got into the CFP - and won a game - before the shellacking in Pasadena.
Alabama has an elite recruiting class coming in, and while DeBoer may not be overly popular among Crimson Tide fans right now, it's clear he has the full support of his locker room. And not just from guys he brought in recruiting or via the Transfer Portal, but from guys who were held over from the Nick Saban era.
Deontae Lawson was unwavering in his support of his head coach in the aftermath of his final game in an Alabama uniform.
“Coach DeBoer is an excellent coach," Lawson said. "His future here will be remembered…he cares for us. He cares for his players….like I said his future will definitely be remembered..”
Deontae Lawson on Kalen DeBoer..
— Rosie Langello-Hodgens (@RosieLangello) January 2, 2026
“Coach DeBoer is an excellent coach. His future here will be remembered…he cares for us. He cares for his players….like I said his future will definitely be remembered..”
He was briefly interrupted and said “I’m not done” when talking about… pic.twitter.com/8QTH94CriV
Deontae Lawson sees big things for Kalen DeBoer and Alabama in the future
The gap between Alabama and the top teams in the country this year might be bigger than DeBoer wants to admit, but despite the embarrassing defeat on New Year's Day, there's still plenty of reason for optimism in the future.
DeBoer continues to load up with talent. Alabama signed the No. 2 class in the 2026 recruiting cycle. And it's not just the talent that will start to change things; it's the systematic fits. DeBoer inherited a roster he didn't recruit, with some awkward fits on the roster.
DeBoer has made do with fitting round pegs into square holes. Alabama still won 20 games in his first two seasons despite a bigger roster overhaul than many wanted to admit.
Next season will be an important year for DeBoer in Tuscaloosa. He's not on the hot seat, but further signs of progress need to be evident. Alabama needs to take another step toward the upper echelon of college football. They need to get higher on the mountain.
DeBoer will need to make some tweaks, adjustments, and outright changes in order for Lawson's words to ring true.