If an exposé were written and found that the University of Alabama figured out a way to have Nick Saban control Kalen DeBoer like some sort of modern Manchurian Candidate, or that Greg Byrne snatched up DeBoer and did to him what they did to McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in the aftermath of the Florida State loss, I'd have little trouble believing it. Alabama fans certainly wished worse on their head coach after that loss in Tallahassee.
No profession walks the line between genius and fool quite like a college football coach. Especially at Alabama. The pendulum has swung back heavily in the positive for DeBoer after Alabama's five consecutive victories since the debacle at Doak.
Alabama relished the opportunity to respond with its back against the wall. Not only have they won five straight games, but they've knocked off three straight ranked SEC opponents. They've shot up to No. 6 in the AP Poll, a higher ranking than they began the season. Vibes are high in and around the program.
But they're also not resting on what they've accomplished. They're keeping that feeling of failure at the front of their minds as motivation. And the head coach just keeps moving differently these days. He sounds like a completely different guy from a year ago, or really, from just six weeks ago.
“It’s been a fight for these guys, because it’s not just those three games," DeBoer told the media on Monday. "We’ve had our backs to the wall since Week 1.
"This all started with us just really being intentional on the work that we’re doing. We prefer to just shut up, show up and do the work. I mean, that’s just really what we’ve gotta hone in on. And in everything we do, we just have an urgency level."
Kalen DeBoer wants Alabama to 'shut up, show up, and do the work'
The 2024 Crimson Tide had a propensity to frequently say the right things. They talked about the standard the way you would expect. The difference with this team in 2025 has been that there's been less talk and a whole lot more action.
That's what Alabama fans have been waiting for in the DeBoer era. A switch flipped. The light came on. What DeBoer and this coaching staff have been doing is working. This five-game winning streak is the longest in his short tenure as the Tide's head coach.
The team has responded to adversity in a way they couldn't a year ago. They've been comfortable in uncomfortable situations. They haven't panicked. They've shown that they can play from behind. They've shown they can hold leads. They've shown - on both sides of the football - that they can execute in critical moments.
The job is far from finished, however. Nobody will remember the good vibes of a 5-1 start if the season derails from here. A loss at home on Saturday to Tennessee would swing the love/hate pendulum toward DeBoer swiftly in the other direction. Such is the life of the head coach of Alabama.
You can never be satisfied because the fans are never satisfied. DeBoer seems to be relishing that. And he's got his team focused and well prepared for everything they've faced.