It isn’t been the inaugural season that Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer had anticipated in Tuscaloosa. After dropping to Oklahoma, 24-3, this previous weekend, the Crimson Tide are 8-3 and sure now on the skin wanting in on the Faculty Soccer Playoffs.
It was at all times going to be robust to exchange Nick Saban — who introduced six championships to Tuscaloosa and gained one other with LSU — however this has been a worst-case state of affairs for DeBoer.
Saban misplaced some massive video games, however he by no means would have dared to lose to Vanderbilt, a staff that has been scrappy however is barely even bowl-eligible in 2024. He additionally by no means would have misplaced to Oklahoma whereas solely placing up three factors. Baked into that loss is the truth that it was 3-3 till 37 seconds left within the first half. The Tide had been outscored 21-0 after mustering only a area objective early on.
This does not appear like Alabama soccer. Once more, it was by no means going to be straightforward to exchange Saban, however the Tide are so down proper now that ESPN character Stephen A. Smith thinks they should give Saban a name and see if he desires to teach once more.
“You succeeded Nick Saban…That is within the speedy aftermath of Nick Saban’s departure,” Smith mentioned on ESPN’s “First Take”, referring to DeBoer (h/t On3). “So far as I’m involved, Alabama followers in all places? They need to be begging Nick Saban to give up Faculty GameDay – as a result of he’s doing an ideal job. Persuade him, beg him to give up the rattling present, okay, and return to Alabama proper now and save this program from an abyss.”
