SEC Media Days was different for Alabama. Kalen DeBoer got a national championship question, but it was not about the Crimson Tide being a contender this season. DeBoer was asked if his tenure at Alabama would be defined by "whether you win a national championship."
DeBoer answered that while he knew the national championship expectations of the Alabama program, he was not focused on it. The answer was probably an honest one, but not one many Alabama fans wanted to hear.
DeBoer's question and answer were emblematic of the mood about the Alabama Crimson Tide at SEC Media Days. Reporting from SEC Media Days, Colin Gay wrote, "the buzz around Alabama felt different, almost buried," and that "reaction and expectation seemed muted."
Alabama Football and National Championship Expectations
The current and new reality for Alabama football fans includes demanding a national championship. For most Crimson Tide fans, it does not include expecting one in the 2026 season. The attitude is a sea change.
Attitudes of fans have little to do with national championship success. What is in the minds of players matters most. Undoubtedly, Alabama football players have championship expectations. They can have them more quietly than in seasons past.
During SEC Media Days, Nick Saban explained that lowered "under the radar" expectations could benefit the Alabama Crimson Tide. Kalen DeBoer knows that Alabama has something to prove. So do his players. Saban understands that can give DeBoer and Alabama an advantage over more highly-heralded teams. Another old Saban truism that fits as well is that climbing the mountain is always easier than staying on top. Alabama has an overdue climb up college football's championship mountain.
There should never be a deficiency in motivation in Tuscaloosa. For Alabama players, focus should not be on outside opinions, but, as Kalen DeBoer said at SEC Media Days, the focus of Alabama players must be on what is next: the next drill, the next rep, the next play, all the everyday, essential building blocks to success.
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