Kalen DeBoer seems to have a clear understanding of how important his third season as the Alabama head coach is. He's not on the hot seat currently, but it's fair to begin breaking out the thermometer to gauge the temperature.
The inconsistency on offense in 2024 was supposed to be gone in 2025 with the addition of Ryan Grubb at offensive coordinator and a quarterback better suited to run the system in Ty Simpson. Instead, the issues were more prevalent with Grubb calling plays as Alabama finished just 36th in the country in offensive SP+ with season-long issues on the offensive line and no running back to speak of.
Grubb is certainly on the hot seat heading into his second year as the offensive coordinator. DeBoer could have moved on from Grubb after this season, and most Alabama fans wouldn't have batted an eye.
It's obvious that DeBoer seems to believe the offensive struggles were more personnel than play-calling related. But it's also clear with some recent staff additions that he isn't taking any chances, and he's not leaving room for any excuses.
Alabama hiring a 'pass game specialist' underscores the offensive urgency
DeBoer had already made a couple of eye-opening additions to the staff before Tuesday. New OL coach Adrian Klemm and TE coach Richard Owens have both held the "run game coordinator" title in the past. Adding coaches experienced in sparking the ground game makes sense, considering how bad Alabama was at running the football this past season.
But Tuesday brought another interesting hire that stressed the sense of urgency DeBoer feels to get things right - and to give Grubb as much help as humanly possible.
DeBoer hired away Brad Aoki from Lincoln Riley's USC staff, giving the Trojans' offensive analyst the title of "pass-game specialist."
Alabama is hiring USC offensive analyst Brad Aoki as a pass game specialist, a source tells @CBSSports pic.twitter.com/1AXXHCGqgx
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) February 17, 2026
Aoki spent two seasons working for Riley as an analyst, predominantly working with quarterbacks. He was the WR's coach at Colorado State in 2023 before that, and had previously served as a student assistant for the Trojans after finishing his playing career there.
Riley has his faults as a head coach, but nobody would question his offensive acumen or his ability to develop quarterbacks. Aoki will bring that knowledge with him to Tuscaloosa and be an excellent addition - and a big help to Grubb - to the Crimson Tide's staff.
No more excuses for offensive failures in 2026. Grubb has to get it right, or DeBoer will have to make the most difficult decision of his coaching career.