Nick Saban Openly Addresses Kalen DeBoer’s Future at Alabama Before CFP

While the opening game of the College Football Playoff takes center stage Friday night in Norman, Okla., one storyline just can’t be shaken from the conversation—the future of Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer.

In his second season at the helm, DeBoer led Alabama to a 10–3 record and a berth in the College Football Playoff. But the Crimson Tide mostly backed their way in to the CFP with two losses in their last four games, including a 28–7 thrashing at the hands of Georgia in the SEC championship. Ten wins and a CFP berth is the peak for most college football programs around the country, but for Alabama, it’s not good enough for a fan base that grew used to competing for national championships just about every year of the Nick Saban era.

Alabama failing to meet expectations in 2025 paired with the Crimson Tide being left out of the College Football Playoff last year doesn’t necessarily have DeBoer on the proverbial hot seat, but the fan base could turn up the heat if Alabama is crushed by Oklahoma in the first round of the CFP on Friday night.

But the DeBoer rumors are not just coming from Alabama’s fan base. DeBoer’s name has been mentioned as a target in several coaching job openings this cycle, including at Michigan, which recently fired Sherrone Moore. DeBoer himself actually released a statement earlier this week about the rumors to clarify his intentions to stay at Alabama.

Perhaps nobody has the pulse of Alabama football better than Saban, who coached the program to six national championships over 17 seasons from 2007 to ‘23. Before Alabama and Oklahoma battled in the first round Friday night, Saban addressed DeBoer’s future with the program on ESPN’s College GameDay.

“Let me just say one thing: Kalen DeBoer has the total and complete support of the University of Alabama,” Saban said. “They want him to be the coach of Alabama.”

But the coach did not deny the possibility that DeBoer could pack his bags and leave Tuscaloosa, too.

“Maybe they can get him at Michigan, I don’t know,” Saban said.

Kalen DeBoer issues statement about his future at Alabama

DeBoer saw his name get thrown around as options at other football programs, and issued an official statement to deny any interest in moving away from Tuscaloosa.

“I have not spoken and have no interest in speaking with anyone else about any other job,” DeBoer said in a statement posted on Sunday. “I am fully committed to this program and look forward to continuing as the head football coach at the University of Alabama.”

The following day, DeBoer explained to the media why he felt like he needed to issue the statement ahead of Alabama’s College Football Playoff run.

"I put a statement out yesterday 'cause—first of all, our guys handle distractions phenomenally,” DeBoer said Monday. “It's been that way all season long. They continue to do that. But I also knew that yesterday and today was pretty important. I wasn't gonna see you until today to address it, so that's why I put that out there. A lot of the same thing I said before, a couple weeks ago, when asked, really, the same question.

"Feel completely supported, my family loves living here [in Alabama], just all the things that we continue to build on. Love the progress. Haven't talked with anyone, no plans of talking with anyone. So, a lot of what I said a couple weeks ago, it continues to be the same thing. Feel strong about it. And our guys, if there has been any distraction, I haven't seen it. Haven't felt it."

We’ll see if anything changes following Alabama’s matchup against Oklahoma on Friday night.