Nick Saban and Kalen DeBoer SEC Media Days double-team

Last January and the early weeks of February, the transition from Nick Saban to Kalen DeBoer troubled Alabama Crimson Tide fans. There was not much panic, but the many concerns were valid. How could Alabama Football maintain its elite status without the leadership of college football's GOAT?

Slowly at first, then rising in frequency was the recognition that even with a new head coach; Alabama was still Alabama. An exclamation point was added to that perspective Wednesday; at SEC Media Days.

It is impossible to imagine such a momentous coaching transition being handled better than it has been by Nick Saban and Kalen DeBoer. After DeBoer's podium remarks on Wednesday, Greg McElroy offered a key observation. McElroy described DeBoer as the perfect hire for Alabama and a big reason was that DeBoer checked his ego at the door. In a profession that fuels strong egos, the successor to Nick Saban could have been an accomplished coach who believed his success demanded the program adapt to him and not the other way around. DeBoer embraced the Crimson Tide's legacy while holding true to his principles. Months later it can be seen why DeBoer and his quickly built new staff, quickly gained the trust of so many players and recruits.

Nick Saban explained it well on Wednesday saying "The style is gonna be different, but the ingredients of what it takes to win, especially the intangibles, are going to be the same."

Kalen DeBoer is no Nick Saban. No one is. DeBoer is an accomplished and respected professional. His quiet confidence is not the norm for high-profile coaches, but it allows him to succeed Nick Saban without being in Saban's shadow.

Reasons for Alabama Football Optimism

Alabama football fans have good reasons for optimism. DeBoer and his staff must begin every day with anticipation similar to a Christmas morning for children. DeBoer and the eight new Crimson Tide assistants have never been blessed to coach a roster with such talent. That talent fuels a growing awareness that the new Alabama coaching staff is an upgrade over recent ones. If that bold presumption is proven true, it should stun and frighten the rest of college football. After losing the game's best-ever coach, how is it possible college football's best-ever program, might not miss a beat and possibly even improve? If that extraordinary reality occurs, Nick Saban and Kalen DeBoer will be the best back-to-back coaches ever.