“Already looking for their next jobs”: CFB fans leave bold reactions as Kalen DeBoer marks presence in Atlanta to watch Michael Penix Jr. play

Kalen DeBoer was at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday as the Atlanta Falcons took on the Carolina Panthers in the regular season finale. The coach was at the game with Alabama's offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan to support his former quarterback at Washington, Michael Penix Jr.

DeBoer and Penix first encountered one another at Indiana in 2019 before reuniting at Washington in 2022. The two worked together for two seasons, creating one of the best Huskies teams of all time. They won the Pac-12 title and appeared in the national championship game.

The presence of Kalen DeBoer and Nick Sheridan at the Falcons game generated a lot of reactions from Alabama fans after the coach's first season in Tuscaloosa didn't go as per fans' expectations.

Other reactions from fans:

"He should be locked in his office with the other coaches studying film until April," a fan wrote.

"Why is he at the game? He’s got a playoff game to prep for," another fan wrote.

"Does this guy know that professionals can’t go back to college?" a fan asked.

"Now we know who to blame," a fan commented.

Paul Finebaum calls Kalen DeBoer’s first season a failure

Alabama capped off Kalen DeBoer’s first year as the program’s coach with a 9-4 record, missed out on the College Football Playoff and lost a bowl game. NFL analyst Paul Finebaum labeled the season a failure.

“Year 1, in my mind, was a failure because he didn’t make the playoffs," Finebaums said. "Everyone already knows all the other things, so I’ll spare you the stats, but he has a more difficult road ahead based on that loss (in the bowl game)."

Finebaum also compared DeBoer's season with the times Nick Saban was not able to make the playoffs with the team:

“Nick Saban was very masterful a couple of times in, I believe it was in the two seasons he didn’t make the playoffs in ’19 and then two years ago, by winning that last game and getting momentum. Kalen DeBoer has done the opposite.”

Without a doubt, DeBoer will enter his second season at Alabama with a lot of pressure to deliver. By replacing Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa, he took the most difficult job in college football and his first season at the helm failed to meet the elite standard expected at the dominant program.