Another so-called college football expert has revealed himself as a source to be ignored. It is former Western Colorado player Blain Crane. Crane's main gig is the Crain and Cone podcast. On a recent episode, Crain predicted that Alabama will fire Kalen DeBoer after his third Crimson Tide season.
Talking about the Alabama Crimson Tide fanbase, Crain said, "Alabama fans are not happy. They’re not happy. They’re a fanbase that I don’t know if you can ever make them happy unless you do what? You never give up a first down. If they score more than 14 points we’re coming to your house. You better win in Atlanta and you better go win a national championship."
Crain's extreme statement is not totally wrong about the Alabama Crimson Tide fanbase. The expectations of many Alabama fans have been borderline insane for a long time.
Crain claims that Alabama football fans will turn on DeBoer if the 2026 Crimson Tide finishes the season at 8-4. The four losses would mean no SEC Championship Game and no Playoff spot. Alabama fans would rightly conclude that in three seasons DeBoer had not proven to be worthy of leading the Crimson Tide.
Alabama fans cannot fire Kalen DeBoer
A key point negates Crain's prediction. Fans don't fire coaches. School trustees and big donors influence athletic directors, but in Tuscaloosa, only one person can fire Kalen DeBoer. That person is Greg Byrne.
Just a couple of months ago, Alabama and Byrne gave DeBoer a new contract. The new annual compensation is more than Nick Saban ever made as coach. If Alabama were to decide to fire DeBoer without cause (and losing games does not qualify as legal cause), DeBoer would be owed 95% of his remaining contract amount. That number would be around $65 million. Two more contract clauses favor DeBoer. The full amount must be paid in a lump sum, and there is no offset from the salary in his next coaching job.
Alabama does not have a billionaire booster like Texas Tech's Cody Campbell, who can dish out tens of millions at will. Cobbling together enough donors to pay a DeBoer buyout would also likely contract contributions through NIL deals. DeBoer's replacement would then lack funds to build a championship roster. A DeBoer firing could trigger a several-season tailspin for the Crimson Tide.
Alabama could find a financial solution to pay a DeBoer buyout after an 8-4 season. It will not, because it would be a bad business decision. A 7-5 season would move a decision away from impossible. A 6-6 season might force Alabama into a bad business decision.
A claim that Alabama wil fire Kalen DeBoer after an 8-4 season is utter nonsense.
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