Alabama has lost five of its last 10 games after a 31-17 Week 1 defeat at unranked Florida State, and in just his second year after replacing Nick Saban, Kalen DeBoer may have reached rock bottom in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide have fallen so low that even Skip Bayless is taking shots.
Bayless had his own fall from grace in the sports media, losing his co-host on Undisputed on FS1, Shannon Sharpe, to his old co-host from First Take on ESPN, Stephan A. Smith. Bayless has since moved on from FS1 and, at age 73-year-old, is attempting to jumpstart a podcasting career. It’s going about as well as fellow 73-year-old Bill Belichick’s foray into college football.
Yet, the Tide are so low right now that they’ve fallen into Bayless’s crosshairs on social media, and it takes quite a bit for the foremost Lebron James hater to direct his ire anywhere else.
Alabama is no longer ALABAMA. The new quarterback just isn't good enough, and I'm having increasing doubts about the head coach, whose seat is now the hottest in college football.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) August 30, 2025
Is Kalen DeBoer on the hot seat after an 0-1 start in Year 2?
As for Bayless’s claim that DeBoer is on the hottest seat in college football, like most of his career, his take is more bold than it is based in fact. Many Alabama fans may be ready to move on from DeBoer, but those footing the $60+ million buyout that DeBoer’s contract currently carries likely aren’t quite as motivated, especially when that money can go directly towards building a roster in the revenue-sharing era.
Back when there was no legal way to pay the players, big money boosters and administrators viewed a coaching change as the only real way to improve their program’s outlook. While it still remains the most impactful option, a fraction of the money it would take Alabama to get out from under DeBoer’s deal would drastically improve an already talented roster and could reestablish the Crimson Tide as a national title contender.
For that matter, it’s not impossible that the team DeBoer currently has in Year 2 won’t turn things around quickly. While effort and mentality are bigger concerns than talent, it won’t hurt for the Tide to get Tim Keenan III, Jam Miller, and Jaeden Roberts back from the injuries that kept them out in Week 1. With that group of impactful veterans on the field, and potentially a change at quarterback that could be forthcoming, the Tide have enough to compete in the SEC.
DeBoer’s seat is warming, no doubt, but the hottest seat in college football? Not quite. Not yet, at least.