Podcaster shares thoughts on upcoming season for Alabama

Few teams in college football have the history and legacy of the Alabama Crimson Tide. 

With 965 official victories recognized by the NCAA, Alabama ranks second in most wins, has won 34 conference championships, and has made an NCAA-record 77 postseason bowl appearances. The program's 36 seasons with 10 or more wins and 46 bowl victories are both NCAA records.

The school has arguably had the two best head coaches in the history of college football Paul “Bear” Bryant and Nick Saban. The program has enjoyed 18 national championships, 12 of them coming from Bryant and Saban-led teams.

What might fans expect this upcoming season with Nick Saban retired and a new head coach in Tuscaloosa named Kalen DeBoer, who was previously at Washington? 

We sat down with Luke Robinson from the Locked On Bama podcast, to find out!

What were your thoughts when you heard Saban was retiring?

Surprise! I even reached out to some people who would know and they said no.  I mean I knew it had to happen eventually, maybe in the next 3 or 4 years, but I didn't expect it when it happened.

There was a lot of talk amongst other fan bases that Kalen DeBoer, who Alabama hired to replace Nick Saban, wouldn't be able to recruit in the south. Yet here he is with the #2 ranked class currently per On3 sports. What are your thoughts on his recruiting efforts thus far?

I knew he would be able to recruit. I expected a top 10 type class. I just think that's the way Bama is built, but did I think he'd be recruiting like this? I did not.

Do you believe DeBoer is getting the same caliber of athlete that Saban got?

Absolutely! What you have to look at is, whether Saban would take this class. I think he would!

Alabama brought in the 2nd ranked class in 2024 according to On3 sports and other sites. Which of those players stands the best chance at making an immediate impact as a freshman?

At Locked On Bama, we have become the Ryan Williams podcast! We love Ryan Williams. He's not the tallest receiver I've seen, not the fastest, and maybe doesn't jump the highest, but he makes the plays. I've been with the AHSAA network for about 15 years. I've seen a lot of guys play. Great players! Nobody has done the things Ryan Williams has done. Greatness is an intangible. 

With Oklahoma and Texas officially beginning SEC play this year, making the schedule longer and more difficult, what would a first successful season look like for Kalen DeBoer?

I think 10-2 and making playoffs is realistic, or even 9-3. Anything less wild would be disappointing to fans. Would you rather go 13-0 or 12-1 and lose in the first round of the playoffs or go 9-3 and deep into the playoffs? I think most fans would say 9-3 with a deep playoff run. 

With the 12-team playoffs beginning this year, could we see a situation where some regular season games no longer mean as much as starters may rest at the end of a season skipping a game before playoffs?

I hate to say it, but unfortunately, I think so. I see that coming. Say you are LSU at the end of a season and you've made the playoffs and need to rest some players and you know you're already in, why wouldn't you rest them? We see it in the NFL all the time. I hate that it's that way, that it takes away from the importance of regular season games, but I think that's where we're headed. 

Alabama is currently 14-1 to win the Natty, which is its worst preseason National Championship odds since 2008, Saban’s second season (60-1).  Is this a result of not having Saban any longer as head coach or do you think oddsmakers believe talent-wise the team is down some?

That is absolutely about not having Saban anymore. Saban was the greatest of all time. The greatest to ever do it. But I mean 14 to 1 odds with Jalen Milroe returning as a quarterback and a loaded room of running backs and playmakers at receiver? I'll take those odds.

Given the new look of the SEC now and the more difficult schedules, will Alabama fans have to adjust expectations of season records from 13-0 or 12-1 to 10-2 or 9-3?

Yeah, Bama fans are going to be slow to make that adjustment. It's not just the conference games, look at the non-conference schedule, Wisconsin is On there, Florida State will be on there (in 2025), West Virginia (2026), and Ohio State (2027). I think we'll eventually see the teams like Mercer and South Florida fall off the schedules completely. 

Reports are backup QB Ty Simpson has improved from last season and looks great. Any chance he will push for playing time?

I believe this is [starting QB] Jalen Milroe’s job, and not his to lose, but his job period. I had the opportunity to meet him and he's a big guy. He is the nicest guy. He engages with you and shows interest in what you're saying to him. I hope Ty doesn't get discouraged and that he sticks around because we will need him next year with that difficult schedule.

Milroe is currently 4th in preseason Heisman predictions. How many wins does Bama have to reach for a Heisman to be realistic for Jalen?

I think they'd have to reach the SEC Championship and win that. You're probably looking at least 11 wins for that. 

Kalen Deboer, who becomes the 28th and current head coach of Alabama, has an overall record of 104-12. He's won on every level and everywhere he's been.

He has managed to exceed expectations so far in areas like recruiting, and he's assembled an excellent staff. The more things change, the more they stay the same, and that looks to hold for the University of Alabama.