"Weird way to get the job": CFB analyst opines on how Kalen DeBoer sees his debut season squad in Alabama

College football analyst J.D. PicKell believes Kalen DeBoer behind closed doors knows his first year in Alabama was weird. Nick Saban retired after Alabama lost to Michigan in the College Football Playoff semifinal. The Crimson Tide hired DeBoer to take over. However, because Saban retired, Alabama lost several key players in the portal.

With that, PicKell thinks behind the scenes, DeBoer would chalk up his first season in Alabama as weird, but the analyst does think there is optimism in 2025.

"I imagine he's saying this behind closed doors," PicKell said (1:30). "Yeah, it was a little weird way to get the job, and a weird way for my career to start with 33% production back on defense, the portal bodies are roster, it wasn't ideal. Now having a full season underneath him, I think in 2025 you could have some cause for optimism."

DeBoer and Alabama finished 9-4 and missed qualifying for the College Football Playoff. Despite being favorites, the Crimson Tide suffered a 19-13 loss to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

However, in 2025, PicKell expects DeBoer in Alabama to have a much better season now that the coach has a true recruiting and transfer portal with the Crimson Tide.

Kalen DeBoer admits he fell short of expectations at Alabama in 2024

In his first year at Alabama, Kalen DeBoer had a ton of pressure being the coach to replace Nick Saban.

With the playoffs expanding to 12 teams, the expectation was to make the playoffs. But, that didn't happen and DeBoer admitted the 2024 season was a failure.

“We know that we need to be better. That’s the expectation I had from day one, is that we perform at a championship level, and we certainly fell short of that,” DeBoer told reporters in Mobile while attending a Senior Bowl practice, via AL.com.

"Whether you’re 0-12 or 12-0 in a regular season, you’re always gonna really critique and be detailed on how you’ve gotta improve."

However, DeBoer is confident in Alabama going into 2025. The Crimson Tide have the sixth-best odds of winning the national title at +1600.