CJ Dippre feels Kalen DeBoer did a "very good job" to fill the void left by Nick Saban at Alabama 

Kalen DeBoer didn't take an easy job. Following the lead of coaching icon Nick Saban at Alabama, the former Washington coach went 9-4 during his first season in Tuscaloosa. The effort might have been a disappointment to some, but now-former Crimson Tide tight end CJ Dippre believes strides were made in the right direction.

Dippre offered some insight into last season as he prepares to showcase his talents to the professional level.

"You know, I thought both were great coaches," Dippre said Thursday at the NFL Scouting Combine. "Coach DeBoer did a very good job under the circumstances of coming [in after] Coach Saban. It's really hard to step into such a successful, already traditional, good program, and take over.

"Obviously, we didn't have the best results we had, but, you know, we still had a winning season, still did good, so I think it was a successful first season for Coach DeBoer," he added.

Dippre was also asked about Kalen DeBoer's seemingly reserved nature. He pushed back some on that label.

"When it's time to be said, you know, he always says something," Dippre added. "It's not that he's reserved. He just doesn't show his emotion as much, maybe. But, we know he means business."

What did Kalen DeBoer have to overcome when taking over for Nick Saban?

When Nick Saban retired, a number of his most promising players, including safety Caleb Downs and quarterback Julian Sayin, bolted for greener pastures. Even so, with the rules the NCAA has on the transfer portal, DeBoer couldn't replenish the roster he inherited.

"It was one of the first times that we've seen, in the modern portal era, a coach get hired, even at a major program, and both his hands are tied behind his back," CBS Sports college football analyst Josh Pate said earlier this month via his 'College Football Show' podcast.

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DeBoer didn't make any excuses in reflecting on his first season with Alabama last month. The Crimson Tide had a few disappointing losses in the form of Vanderbilt and Oklahoma.

“Yeah, we know that we need to be better. That’s the expectation I had, you know from Day 1 is that we perform at a championship level, and we certainly fell short of that. Whether you’re 0-12 or 12-0 in a regular season, you know you’re always going to really critique and be detailed on how you got to improve," DeBoer said via On3.com.

"And I appreciate what our staff is doing, what our players are doing, to really look inward, work together and continue to move forward," he added.

In order to get out of Nick Saban's shadow, DeBoer will need to improve in the coming season. Another shaky go-round could damage his prospects in Tuscaloosa.