Now with Deboer to Alabama Being Reported. The 2024 Schedule looks a lot easier
January 12th, 2024 at 4:08 PM ^
What if Kalen deBoer ends up being Alabama's Rich Rodriguez?
a fella can dream can't he?
January 12th, 2024 at 4:16 PM ^
Before RichRod was our RichRod, he actually turned Alabama down. So in effect, RichRod was Alabama’s RichRod, but he turned them down and they “settled” for Saban
January 12th, 2024 at 5:07 PM ^
He looks fit enough to hand out the bags of cash from his trunk just like the last guy.
January 12th, 2024 at 4:18 PM ^
One can only hope...as every major program needs to go through a Rich Rod moment.
January 12th, 2024 at 4:51 PM ^
they went through a lot of that between Bear Bryant and Saban
January 12th, 2024 at 5:34 PM ^
One of their coaches between Bear Bryant and Saban was Gene Stallings, who won a national title.
January 12th, 2024 at 5:42 PM ^
both statements can be true
January 12th, 2024 at 6:25 PM ^
And then they were 4 games under .500 in the 10 years between that guy and Saban so….
January 12th, 2024 at 7:32 PM ^
There was also Mike Shula, who didn't do well
January 12th, 2024 at 4:19 PM ^
Alabama wanted Rich Rodriguez to be Alabama’s Rich Rodriguez back in the day.
Edit: Beaten to this above. Great National Champion minds and all that. What about DeBoer being their DuBose?
January 12th, 2024 at 5:58 PM ^
I’d prefer it if DeBoer was their Debord.
January 12th, 2024 at 4:22 PM ^
It’s far more likely that this happens than he is successful at Alabama. For one, “you never want to be the guy who follows THE guy” is a thing for a reason. Second, everyone knows they wanted Lanning, then Norvell, so DeBoer is at best their third choice. Third, he has three years of coaching experience - only two at the P5 level - and exactly none of it in the south. I hope Michael Penix, Jr. gets a huge cut of this salary, because DeBoer got this job because of him.
January 12th, 2024 at 4:28 PM ^
he's also got three NAIA championships and another runner up.
he's won 104 games as a head coach and never lost more than 3 games in a season.
its never easy to follow the guy but he sure looks like he's a very good coach.
January 12th, 2024 at 5:16 PM ^
As someone whose work is talent identification, I stand by what I wrote. There are massive shortcomings for this job for this candidate. That’s why he was - at best - the third choice candidate. This is really simple: Alabama was blindsided by Saban’s decision, had no succession plan, thought they could get Lanning because they are Alabama, and had to settle with the best name they could get. Yes, he has won other places, but this is a very different job. And he has zero experience in the essential part of the country necessary for success at Alabama. I am very confident that what got him to this point won’t be enough for him to be successful in this next phase of his career. My prediction: he’s not Alabama’s coach by the time 2028 rolls around.
January 12th, 2024 at 6:55 PM ^
I thought your job was transporting the frozen concentrated orange juice futures reports.
January 12th, 2024 at 4:55 PM ^
The years of experience part is inaccurate. I think you're not counting his Sioux Falls years where he coached for 5 seasons and only lost once.
January 12th, 2024 at 5:10 PM ^
Yeah, I meant to say FBS but didn’t. Oh well.
January 12th, 2024 at 5:19 PM ^
disagree. especially with the “far more likely.” rich rod started 3-9, 5-7. no program is immortal, but unless a meteor strikes tuscaloosa, it’s hard to see that as a possibility any time soon.
i feel like the most likely outcome here is a sec-version of ryan day. keep the elite recruiting and performance, but a regression to average in big program wins. he’s gonna be feeling heat if he can’t win a title in the first three years though.
January 12th, 2024 at 5:31 PM ^
So, I definitely didn’t make this clear, but I wasn’t particularly referring to overall record with that comment as much I was to program culture disintegration and lack of overall success. Which would be Alabama’s version of Rich Rod (and not that inaccurate, as the damage is the Rich Rod era was FAR greater to the program than just wins and losses).
January 12th, 2024 at 3:51 PM ^
Hey, maybe Pete Carroll can say "What's Your Deal?" as the Huskies new coach!!
January 12th, 2024 at 3:52 PM ^
Rough 5 days for Washington fans. Criminy, I'd love to see the Harbaugh/UM contract done before the weekend is out.
January 12th, 2024 at 4:11 PM ^
Exactly what I was thinking.
January 12th, 2024 at 3:52 PM ^
Wonder what that interview was like.
"So... how did it feel to lose to Michigan?"
"It sucked."
"Yeah it did. Anyhow, you're hired!"
January 12th, 2024 at 4:02 PM ^
Brilliant and hilarious. Well done!
January 12th, 2024 at 4:38 PM ^
What do you think the bonded over?
"Wait, your last loss was to Michigan too? Let's be BFFs forever!!"
January 12th, 2024 at 4:53 PM ^
Then they called Kirk Ferentz. Like the Wazzup? beer commercials.
January 12th, 2024 at 3:53 PM ^
Run it back.
January 12th, 2024 at 4:49 PM ^
Nick Saban but smart.
January 12th, 2024 at 3:53 PM ^
Oregon is going to be good - even at home that is a really tough game.
January 12th, 2024 at 3:56 PM ^
I don't know. My takeaway from watching both Washington - Oregon games was that Oregon looked extremely weak in the trenches. Washington ran through Oregon like we ran through Washington. Without Nix to save them, I'm not sure how great they'll be as a whole.
January 12th, 2024 at 4:00 PM ^
We're losing some studs on the offensive line and in the backfield. I trust that Michigan will put together a solid rushing attack. But it may not exactly light the world on fire. But Oregon has big holes to replace, too. Bo nix being a huge one.
January 12th, 2024 at 3:58 PM ^
Came here to say this. They finished the year third in SP+ (Liberty game probably inflated their ranking a bit, but still) and they have two transfer QBs to choose from. They'll be very good.
January 12th, 2024 at 3:55 PM ^
Pretty amazing for a guy who was coaching Fresno State 2 years ago and was an Indiana DC before that.
Congrats to him!
Next year's prognostications are a little fuzzy. Depends more on us than them. If our coaching staff is intact, I like us in every game we play.
January 12th, 2024 at 4:04 PM ^
Some of these guys have amazing career arcs. "Urbs" is a good example. In 2000 he's in his fifth year as WR coach at Notre Dame. Six years (and three hops) later he's winning a championship at Florida.
January 12th, 2024 at 4:23 PM ^
And I think he was an NAIA coach before that.
January 12th, 2024 at 3:55 PM ^
We don't know who our QB is yet... Or who he plans to throw it to... But I'm stoked for the defense. Would have liked to see some portal additions though. Probably too busy winning 'ships, ehhhh?
January 12th, 2024 at 3:55 PM ^
Courtney Morgan, come on down
January 12th, 2024 at 3:56 PM ^
Oregon is still gonna be tough. OSU depends on how the QB and OL situations resolve. Still don't think we take a massive step back. Would love to see Orji in the Milroe role.
January 13th, 2024 at 11:49 AM ^
OSU is stacked man - their D was elite this year and they run back everyone it looks like with the $$$ Flying out the door. Offense just needs to be above average for them to be at the very top and easily in the playoffs.
January 12th, 2024 at 3:56 PM ^
DeBoer, Penix, Odunze, Polk, McMillan, and Dillon Johnson. That's a LOT to lose.
January 12th, 2024 at 4:01 PM ^
That is losing everything. Imagine replaying the national championship game with Washington, but they don't have any of those players. It would be like Michigan - Minnesota.
January 12th, 2024 at 4:07 PM ^
Basically the Orange Bowl.
January 12th, 2024 at 4:13 PM ^
I know they went and got a transfer QB (who knows if he stays now) but yeah, that's losing everything
January 12th, 2024 at 4:16 PM ^
Mississippi State super-senior Will Rogers, throwing to Giles Jackson. Lightning.
This also assumes that DeBoer's recruits will stick around, which seems unlikely.
January 12th, 2024 at 4:07 PM ^
Fautanu's gone, too.
January 12th, 2024 at 3:58 PM ^
Everybody will want to beat the reigning champs badly - especially Washington on their field. Schedule not looking that easy...
January 12th, 2024 at 4:02 PM ^
Better than it was.
January 12th, 2024 at 4:30 PM ^
A lot of, if not all, teams want to defeat Michigan. There’s history, rivalries, and animosity that go back a long time.
It makes me pleased that our future opponents may even “try a bit harder” because Michigan is national champions.
in fact, I hope our opponents use that same “try a bit harder” for many, many years -if it means Michigan is the defending NC.
Bring it on…. Go Blue!
January 12th, 2024 at 3:59 PM ^
11 - 1?????
Why not 12 - 0????