Will Stein's confidence could be the last thing Kalen DeBoer needs in year 3 at Alabama

Kalen DeBoer is not on the hot seat in 2026, regardless of the opinion of some in the national media or the vocal minority in the Alabama fanbase. He just received a two-year contract extension this offseason that further inflated his buyout. He's not going anywhere anytime soon.

But that doesn't mean there isn't significant pressure on DeBoer entering his third season as the Crimson Tide's head coach. At the very least, the court of public opinion from Alabama fans could be swayed one way or another depending on the team's performance.

This group doesn't have to win the National Championship this season for it to be considered successful, but they do need to show proof of concept under DeBoer. A step in the right direction.

If Alabama is going to do that, and if the Crimson Tide is going to be a College Football Playoff threat in 2026, most experts agree that it's going to take a hot start to the season in order to accomplish that.

Alabama's schedule starts mildly. Its first five games are against East Carolina, Kentucky, Florida State, South Carolina, and Mississippi State. The Tide faces a brutal four-game stretch following that opening salvo with Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and LSU on the docket afterward.

It's imperative that Alabama avoids an early slip-up against a team it will be favored against, something that has been DeBoer's Achilles heel in his first two seasons.

That might be a little more complicated now than many originally thought. In Week 2 against Kentucky, DeBoer and the Crimson Tide will be facing a new head coach looking to make an early statement.

Will Stein will be looking for an early signature win at Kentucky against Alabama

As much as some want to downplay Alabama's standing in the college football hierarchy, Stein will not be among them. He understands fully what beating the Crimson Tide in Lexington in Week 2 would do in his efforts to energize the program.

And he certainly doesn't lack for confidence:

Stein has already brought in his guys at Kentucky with a massive roster overhaul this offseason. They'll be led by dual-threat QB Kenny Minchey, a Notre Dame transfer who was a 4-star recruit in the 2023 recruiting class.

With a cupcake opener against Youngstown State, you can bet that Kentucky is going to throw the kitchen sink at Alabama as Stein attempts to get an early spark in Lexington. It would be hard to dream up a better start to his tenure than pulling a stunning upset against the Crimson Tide in Week 2.

Alabama cannot afford to look past Kentucky. That has been an issue in each of DeBoer's two seasons in Tuscaloosa.

All the goodwill that DeBoer built up in his debut season by knocking off Georgia in Tuscaloosa was given back one week later when the Tide fell on the road to Vanderbilt.

Last year, Alabama dropped the season opener on the road against a mediocre Florida State team. It would be natural for the Crimson Tide to have that matchup against the Seminoles the following week in Tuscaloosa circled, but if they're looking ahead, the Wildcats are fully capable of handling DeBoer and Alabama a slice of humble pie.

As massive as that win would be for Stein and Kentucky, it would be similarly devastating for DeBoer and might serve to push Tide fans still on the fence about him to the wrong side.

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