​Kalen DeBoer has faced plenty of criticism since succeeding legendary Alabama coach Nick Saban. Despite posting a 19-8 record through his first two seasons in Tuscaloosa, many Crimson Tide fans have questioned whether DeBoer is the right leader to guide the program back to the pinnacle of college football. Former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy believes the criticism has gone too far.
On Cubelic in the Morning, the ESPN analyst passionately defended DeBoer after he was ranked tied for 10th in ESPN’s list of the top college football coaches entering the 2026 season. McElroy argued that public perception doesn’t reflect the respect DeBoer has earned within the coaching profession.
McElroy made it clear that his defense of DeBoer wasn’t born out of Alabama loyalty. “Here’s where I have maybe the biggest issue with the entire list. And it’s not because of where I went to school. It really isn’t,” McElroy said. “Kalen DeBoer is universally respected among his peers. Universally respected. Coaches all say, ‘This guy is a dude.’”
Even though Alabama’s 9-4 and 11-4 seasons have fallen short of the lofty expectations set during the Nick Saban era, McElroy believes those records don’t tell the full story. Before coming to Tuscaloosa, DeBoer transformed Washington into a national championship contender, guiding the Huskies from a 4-8 season to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in just two years. Along the way, he engineered memorable victories, including a dramatic comeback road win over Oklahoma after trailing by 17 points.
McElroy pushed back against the narrative that DeBoer inherited a flawless situation at Alabama. When Saban retired, the Crimson Tide immediately endured significant roster losses. Star safety Caleb Downs transferred to Ohio State, and standout quarterback Julian Sayin departed as well, leaving DeBoer to rebuild the roster with little preparation time during one of the most chaotic coaching transitions in recent program history. McElroy believes DeBoer’s résumé stacks up with almost anyone in college football.
Across 11 seasons as a head coach, DeBoer has compiled an impressive 124-20 career record, an 86 percent winning percentage. His résumé includes three NAIA national championships at Sioux Falls before successful stops at Fresno State, Washington, and now Alabama. His success against elite competition is equally notable, as he owns a 20-6 record against AP Top 25 opponents, a winning percentage of nearly 77 percent. He’s 10-5 as an underdog and 7-1 against some of college football’s biggest names, including Kirby Smart, Steve Sarkisian, and Dan Lanning.
McElroy even called out what he sees as an unfair comparison involving Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, noting that Kiffin’s ranking is largely driven by SEO considerations. In McElroy’s view, DeBoer’s track record and peer respect deserve more equitable recognition than the current ranking suggests.