Kalen DeBoer has enough pressure on him entering his second season as the Alabama head coach in 2025, coming off a disappointing 9-4 campaign in year one. He's not on the hot seat, but a second consecutive season in which the Crimson Tide misses the College Football Playoff would change that in a hurry.
The Alabama job is a pressure-cooker on a good day. It's even more challenging when you are following in the footsteps of a legend, one who is the greatest coach in the history of the sport. Nick Saban casts a large shadow, the only man who could have cast one equal in size, or even larger, than Paul "Bear" Bryant.
The last thing DeBoer needed was the rumors that began flying on Monday of Nick Saban's potential return to coaching. According to former Tide QB Greg McElroy, someone in the know believes Saban still has the itch, and may not be done coaching after all.
McElroy later clarified that he believes Saban is happy in retirement and doesn't see him coaching again, but it's not hard to believe that Saban still has the itch to coach. It's all he's ever really known until last season, regardless of how happy he seemed week-to-week on College GameDay.
And regardless of whether or not there is any true validity to the rumors, they are out in the open now because of McElroy's comments.
Rumors of Saban's return to coaching adds unnecessary pressure to Kalen DeBoer
Nick Saban may very well have zero interest in a return to the sidelines, but the mere fact that the words have been spoken by a prominent Alabama alumnus adds unnecessary pressure to Kalen DeBoer entering his second season in Tuscaloosa.
Year one was a challenge for the new Tide coach, and a four-loss season had plenty of Alabama fans questioning already whether DeBoer was the right man for the job. Those are the kinds of expectations that are only found in Tuscaloosa.
The Saban rumors could mean nothing to AD Greg Byrne, but if nothing else, it puts added fan pressure on DeBoer and the Crimson Tide in 2025. The first sign of trouble, and fans will start clamoring for a return from the greatest coach of all time, as nonsensical as that may be.
Saban will turn 74 in October. There's little doubt he could still be an effective coach, but his remaining shelf life as a coach is much shorter than DeBoer's. It's why the most likely logical landing spot for Saban, if he does indeed return to coaching, is in the NFL.
DeBoer is building his program in Tuscaloosa, but as good as the offseason and recent recruiting has gone, it will only take a single loss for fans to start questioning his place as the head coach.
And now, with refreshed rumors swirling about Saban, the pressure is mounting even higher for DeBoer to win, and win now.