Kalen DeBoer made headline changes this offseason when Alabama officially decided to part ways with beleaguered ex-offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic, after a season of disappointment in production upfront. This change came off as music to the ears of what seemed to be the entire Crimson Tide fanbase, following a season of complaints due to Alabama averaging an embarrassing 104.1 rushing yards per game, which was near the bottom of FBS, ranking 125th out of 136 teams.
These lows, combined with the Tide unconventionally rotating an offensive front that consisted of eight players, instead of a traditional starting five unit, led to 32 sacks allowed over 15 games, which was 4th-most in the SEC. The final straw of embarrassment for many came when Alabama was manhandled upfront by Georgia in the SEC title game, then again by Indiana at the Rose Bowl in the College Football Playoff to put a bow on their season.
Those results were plastered everywhere and laughed at by many around college football circles, causing DeBoer to hint at serious changes. The first order of business came with Alabama reconstructing its offensive line unit from the ground up by adding six offensive linemen through the Transfer Portal. DeBoer even took it a step further this past Friday when he officially moved on from Kapilovic, then quickly replaced him with USC analyst Adrian Klemm, who brings a wealth of experience in college and the NFL.
On Wednesday, DeBoer shedded light on what went into the thinking behind those series of transactions in Mobile, AL while talking to reporters at the Reese Senior Bowl.
“It’s about production,” DeBoer said. "We know we gotta be better there, mindset and just execution, the details of the fundamentals that the guys need. A lot of new faces that are gonna be in that room. So, kind of a fresh start there.”
Kalen DeBoer said 'production' led to a change in the offensive line room
This fresh start, in my opinion, was needed and signaled a true step in the right direction. DeBoer and company seem to think so as well when he continued by stating his belief that Alabama was able to upgrade with the additions Alabama made upfront on both sides of the football via the transfer portal in the month of January, after all this came to pass.
"I think we got longer, we got bigger," DeBoer said. "I think we got more athletic. I think we got some guys, both in the program and guys who have come into it, that really care."
While this optimism from DeBoer sounds good, many fans and those on the outside looking in want to see results this fall. With the multiple changes being made and moving parts still being settled in their proper places, it'll be interesting to see how long it takes for these improvements to show for Alabama in 2026.