CFB analyst highlights major reasons why Kalen DeBoer won't be able to match Nick Saban at Alabama

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer has a lot of expectations riding on him in his debut in Tuscaloosa. Fans are expecting him to continue the legacy that retired 7x national champ Nick Saban built with the program, leading them to six national champions. DeBoer gave the college football world a glimpse of his caliber last season when he led the Washington Huskies to the natty finals.

According to CFB analyst Matt Moscona, Kalen DeBoer has an impossible task ahead of creating a legacy with the Crimson Tide like Nick Saban. During a recent episode of the 'Crain & Company' podcast, Moscona stated that while he feels that DeBoer is 'inheriting a stable' program, the expectations in Tuscaloosa are just sky high, which is an impossible task for DeBoer to achieve.

"He (Kalen DeBoer) is inheriting maybe the most stable situation that a coach could inherit in the history of college football because he's inheriting a situation where the greatest coach in history of college football won at a level like any other coach had won for the last 17 years." (1:06)

"It is just an absolute impossibility for Kalen DeBoer to contiue to win at the level that Nick Saban won and he is at a place where the people are absolute lunatics. And respectfully, I know that's not going to come across respectfully, but the level of expectation at that program and that fanbase is so out of whack that there is no chance he could ever possibly meet their expectations."

Throughout his head coaching career, Kalen DeBoer has yet to win a national championship. He did win three NAIA titles between 2006 and 2009 with Sioux Falls. Last season, in his second campaign as the head coach of the Washington Huskies, he came real close to tasting his first natty.

DeBoer led the Huskies to an undefeated Pac-12 title. After beating the Texas Longhorns in the CFP semifinals, he faced off with Jim Harbaugh's Michigan in the national championship game. Unfortunately, Harbaugh and his team went on to emerge as the victors of the 2023 season.

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Kalen DeBoer gets real on his relationship with Nick Saban

During an appearance on the 'Jim Rome Show', DeBoer shed some light on his bond with Nick Saban. He expressed his gratitude to Saban for allowing him the freedom to build his own atmosphere in Alabama and also highlighted how he always has an open door for him in the program and welcomes Saban's insights.

"He's been amazing," DeBoer said. "He's just been so respectful in every way. I mean I'm trying to continue to remind him that I'm great with him being around the program. That these guys are guys that he recruited for the most part here and for them to see him, it still means a lot to them."

"But he's just been so respectful trying to allow me to still make it mine. He's just down the road and so been over there a couple of times. And of course talked on the phone as well and he's just a great resource."

Nick Saban helped turn the Crimson Tide into one of the most successful modern teams in college football during his 17 season stint. Now it is up to Kalen DeBoer to continue this quest of glory and carry on the successful legacy built at the program.