"Didn't happen under Nick Saban": Paul Finebaum calls out Kalen DeBoer's 'loose' approach after win against Georgia

Nick Saban was missed a lot on the Alabama sidelines as new Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer suffered a shocking 40-35 loss to the unranked Vanderbilt Commodores. Now, ESPN's Paul Finebaum has offered his blunt critique of the incumbent coach.

Finebaum was thorough about the glaring differences between DeBoer’s approach and the legendary Saban's. Speaking on 'The Matt Barrie Show', the veteran analyst spoke about the team's 'looseness' throughout the week and compared it to the discipline seen during Saban’s tenure.

"Nick Saban wouldn’t have lost that game," Finebaum stated.

He believes that Saban’s no-nonsense approach kept Alabama sharp and focused. DeBoer, however, follows a more relaxed style, allowing appearances by players like Jalen Milroe on SportsCenter midweek — a rare sight during Saban’s reign.

"I mean, that did not happen under Nick Saban, for a reason. Matt and I think what’s what we’re going to hear is this program is a little bit too loose. Whether it’s NIL, I don’t really know what it is. I like it, until I didn’t like it Saturday afternoon," Finebaum said.

While DeBoer’s strategy worked in the massive win over Georgia, Finebaum suggested it might have backfired leading into the Vanderbilt upset.

This wasn’t the worst loss in Alabama’s storied history. But for a program accustomed to dominance, Finebaum's words pose concerns about DeBoer's ability to uphold Saban’s legacy.

Paul Finebaum didn't leave Nick Saban out of Vanderbilt loss

The former Alabama coach has no bearing on Alabama winning or losing now, but Paul Finebaum still didn’t let him off the hook after Alabama's loss to Vanderbilt. Apart from blaming new coach Kalen DeBoer, Finebaum also pointed fingers at Saban.

Appearing on SportsCenter, Finebaum highlighted a key factor behind the upset.

“Nick Saban would have never lost a game like that. He did lose his first year to Louisiana Monroe, but he had inherited a 6-7 team, and he had a .500 team that year.

“But you know something, I am going to blame this game on Nick Saban. This is your fault, Saban. You cost your former team the win,” Finebaum added.

Saban reportedly dismissed Vanderbilt as an "easy" SEC opponent, and according to Finebaum, that is what fired up the Commodores.