Was the season a success anyway?

[CB4]

I don't think anyone with any sense expected DeBoer or anyone else to replicate what Saban did.

Mind you, I say anyone with any sense.

But I think it's fair to say that many among us also didn't expect us to turn in so many jello-soft pudding level performances under the new coach either.

Agree. No one with half a brain has the expectation that DeBoer could resurrect the Saban Dynasty.

However, let’s be clear. Saban came to Tuscaloosa because this fan base and supporters are passionate. They live and die with the program. With that support came the financial backing to build that long term success. All of that comes certain expectations.

Should we win games? Absolutely. More than our fair share. But it is more than that. It’s about striving for excellence. It’s about effort. It’s about execution of the fundamental things and consistency that lead to that excellence.

It’s an easy narrative to spin that “Bama fans are spoiled” or “they are trying to relive Saban (or Stallings or Bryant)” or “They are mad because they are losing” among others. But it goes beyond the W or the L. It is the way they are losing. Lack of discipline, lack of preparation, lack of physical play and lack of focus. Yep. Like all fanbases we hate to lose. The losses in a coaching change and program rebuild/retool ARE reasonable and understandable to the vast majority of this fanbase. There is one huge caveat though. We still expect to see toughness. We still expect to see focus. We still expect to see high level of execution. And we still expect to see continued improvement, regardless of wins or losses. Are we impatient? Absolutely but that comes with the territory when for two years we’ve seen a program that is “consistently inconsistent”.

Is that unfair to Coach DeBoer? Maybe. But one would assume he knew what he signed up for when he took the job.

And might I add that Coach DeBoer does little to alleviate that concern when he seems at times completely bewildered and at a loss for explanations.

 

[PA Tide Fan]

Interesting and I think the correct perspective from Mario.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2008191812813611171

He's correct about not expecting championships like in the Saban era but there's no reason we can't play with the same physicality as the Saban era. That's all most fans want to see.

 

[denver]

He's correct about not expecting championships like in the Saban era but there's no reason we can't play with the same physicality as the Saban era. That's all most fans want to see.

100%...we arent expecting a dynasty...just not possible anymore but a Style of play that is physical, runs the balls and is tough on defense isn't too much to ask, even in this climate

 

[InsaneMustang]

That’s an expectation that I cannot wait and accept as a privilege to try to uphold, winning SEC championships, winning national championships, that’s an expectation and a love and an interest that I’ve always had and a passion that I’ll have and looking forward to carry on with our players, our staff and all of you here.

Introductory press conference, out of his mouth. In terms of the goal he stated, the season was a failure.

 

[Cruloc]

The team went 11-4.

They got manhandled in game 1.

Ran off a string of victories vs the toughest part of its schedule.

Made it to the SECCG and got absolutely splattered all over Atlanta.

Went to Norman, OK and looked like garbage, getting down 17-0. Then OU made a multitude of mistakes and they got some hope, turned it around and won.

Made it the Rose Bowl......the Rose Bowl......and quit in the second half, getting obliterated in Pasadena.

The team won nothing.

They got embarrassed 3 times......like 2024.

The staff looked lost, the team looked unprepared.

They are as soft....mentally and physically.

No, the season just raises more doubts about DeBoer, his staff and especially his philosophy and culture.

 

[davefrat]

Agree. No one with half a brain has the expectation that DeBoer could resurrect the Saban Dynasty.

However, let’s be clear. Saban came to Tuscaloosa because this fan base and supporters are passionate. They live and die with the program. With that support came the financial backing to build that long term success. All of that comes certain expectations.

Should we win games? Absolutely. More than our fair share. But it is more than that. It’s about striving for excellence. It’s about effort. It’s about execution of the fundamental things and consistency that lead to that excellence.

It’s an easy narrative to spin that “Bama fans are spoiled” or “they are trying to relive Saban (or Stallings or Bryant)” or “They are mad because they are losing” among others. But it goes beyond the W or the L. It is the way they are losing. Lack of discipline, lack of preparation, lack of physical play and lack of focus. Yep. Like all fanbases we hate to lose. The losses in a coaching change and program rebuild/retool ARE reasonable and understandable to the vast majority of this fanbase. There is one huge caveat though. We still expect to see toughness. We still expect to see focus. We still expect to see high level of execution. And we still expect to see continued improvement, regardless of wins or losses. Are we impatient? Absolutely but that comes with the territory when for two years we’ve seen a program that is “consistently inconsistent”.

Is that unfair to Coach DeBoer? Maybe. But one would assume he knew what he signed up for when he took the job.

And might I add that Coach DeBoer does little to alleviate that concern when he seems at times completely bewildered and at a loss for explanations.

I think DeBoer's style has pretty well permeated the players as well.

Nothing against Bernard, he's been a really good player and seems to have been a good leader and representative of the program the last two years, but he was way too upbeat in the post-Rose Bowl press conference.

He actually said something about being thankful that he was allowed to "enjoy" this moment...I can't imagine any Saban-coached player being as cheery as Bernard was after that kind of humiliation.

And again, his comments were gracious and articulate and respectful and he seems like a good kid...but I expect our stars to be spitting nails after a defeat like that.

I just think that DeBoer is a soft coach and the results are often soft.

I don't see him changing much either because his style is what brought him this far.

I'm not saying to fire the guy or that everything is hopeless, but I'd be surprised to see any dramatic changes in terms of toughness from the head coach.

At this stage of his career, he probably pretty much what he is and what he is going to be.

If the team is going to develop more toughness it's going to have to come from someone else on the staff but idk who or where that might be.

 

[CrimsonBloodn62]

If the team is going to develop more toughness it's going to have to come from someone else on the staff but idk who or where that might be.

Bama’s toughness used to be built in the offseason, and that’s missing right now. With the current strength and conditioning coach, I don’t see it changing. The program needs another Scott Cochran.

 

[JDCrimson]

I don't think anyone with any sense expected DeBoer or anyone else to replicate what Saban did.

Mind you, I say anyone with any sense.

But I think it's fair to say that many among us also didn't expect us to turn in so many jello-soft pudding level performances under the new coach either.

The only game where I saw poor effort was FSU whi h is in excusable in the.first game of the season. Most of what I saw in the other losses was poor game planning and coaching. Players know when they have a winning game plan and that is ultimately reflected in their effort.

It all comes back to coaching. If you ain't coaching it you are allowing it to happen.

 

[Cruloc]

The only positive thing I can say about this 2025 team....

It seems DeBoer figured out how to cut the penalty problem out for the most part. We weren't having games with constant idiotic penalties like we started doing at the end of Saban's time.

 

[JDCrimson]

The only positive thing I can say about this 2025 team....

It seems DeBoer figured out how to cut the penalty problem out for the most part. We weren't having games with constant idiotic penalties like we started doing at the end of Saban's time.

Agree, so how do you do this but otherwise be soft in other aspects of the game?

Yet, we agree we were more physical yet more undisciplined under Saban?

I think attitude toward style of play is not the sole reason reason for our performance this year. I think there is a gameplanning issue. I wonder how effective watch and breakdown film? If this was subpar it would certainly explain we could really poor execution in certain games.

 

[Cruloc]

Agree, so how do you do this but otherwise be soft in other aspects of the game?

Yet, we agree we were more physical yet more undisciplined under Saban?

I think attitude toward style of play is not the sole reason reason for our performance this year. I think there is a gameplanning issue. I wonder how effective watch and breakdown film? If this was subpar it would certainly explain we could really poor execution in certain games.

I don't think he demands excellence in practice. I don't think he demands it in any aspects of the program.

That all shows up on gameday.

 

[JDCrimson]

I don't think he demands excellence in practice. I don't think he demands it in any aspects of the program.

That all shows up on gameday.

If that is the case, it would show up in penalties.

I just dont think that is the case. If anything speaks to being too cerebral. You dont accumulate his career win-loss record and not have some pretty high standards.

Could his philosophy not be a good fit for the NFL caliber athlete? Sure. But not demanding excellence is not exclusively the answer.

Im telling you there is a problem with offensive game planning and its not translating to this level of football. I dont believe Grubb is in the same page with the rest of the offensive assistants. And I think because of the history that CKD has given him too much autonomy.

 

[RdunawayTX]

Bama’s toughness used to be built in the offseason, and that’s missing right now. With the current strength and conditioning coach, I don’t see it changing. The program needs another Scott Cochran.

Everybody is calling for Scott Cochran. He was very passionate and a weight room monster. But, there were a TON of injuries when he was here related to the S&C program.

I, personally, don't want Scott back. But I'd like someone with the same passion with a bit of a different program.

 

[tusks_n_raider]

The only positive thing I can say about this 2025 team....

It seems DeBoer figured out how to cut the penalty problem out for the most part. We weren't having games with constant idiotic penalties like we started doing at the end of Saban's time.

That’s true.

On the field discipline in general seemed better.

We didn’t really have any demonstrative outbursts from anyone this past year when there were a few too many in 2024.

 

[Transplanted]

Probably repeating a lot of posts but too lazy to scour this thread:



The season was like a sine wave where it ended as horribly as it started but there was a middle chunk of very challenging teams in a row that actually went much better than I thought it would. We lost to Oklahoma only to avenge at their place when we were more healthy, while we beat UGA at their place before getting beat up when we were less healthy later onwards. Again the first and last games where health was less of an issue I have not much positives.



I haven’t given up on DeBoer for several reasons:

1. He sustains winning programs or builds them back up very quickly, historically. I also don’t think people understand just how toxic the Washington program was when he inherited it. That wasn’t the Don James Huskies but he totally turned them around. During Covid and beyond he turned back around Fresno State. Before Cignetti when he was OC at Indiana they were a legitimate tough out for the first time in ages that year. He sustained small school hc excellence for many years.
2. He has a history of coaches that are loyal to him or want to work for him again. I don’t think it’s because hes too soft. I think he’s a very good coach who has rare attributes of seemingly being a good person. We’re just accustomed to Saban beating everyone up and seeing incredible results (same with Michael Jordan, etc.) but I do think his style can win and be successful here. Also it sucks that all four cf finalists this year learned a lot from Saban. So it’s hard to ignore the man’s impact, style, and even residual impact of former assistants. Long story I think his coaching ability married with his personality plus the Bama brand makes human extremely attractive candidate to work for nowadays.
3. Look at our recruiting under him so far where it hasn’t skipped a beat since Saban. Development and results are still tbd but he’s showing with the general manager concept (plus portal additions) that hes pretty damn good so far. By the way he lost 40 guys to the portal before ever starting. And if he’s so bad as an evaluator (with Morgan et al) can you imagine how many more losses wr might have had if he hadn’t brought some of his guys like Brailsford, Bernard or under the radar evals like Lotzeir or Simmons already? I think it would have been even worse given what roster he inherited. Did any of Sabans receivers for the last few years turn out at all? Compare that to what DeBoer brought in here. Actually how would Saban have done the last 2 years given the weak recruiting holes already present (see wr) as well as the growing threat of the portal?

Where Deboer needs to improve

1. Offensive line coach was a bad coaching hire. Maybe he can recruit but this is the worst OL coach i can remember. This needs an obvious upgrade.
2. General physicality of the offensive and defensive lines needs to improve.
3. Learning and adapting more advanced blocking schemes for the run game to take a little more pressure off the qb.
4. Is the up and down motivation more portal culture based or him needing to keep pushing down the gas all year long?

 

[bamamc1]

Everybody is calling for Scott Cochran. He was very passionate and a weight room monster. But, there were a TON of injuries when he was here related to the S&C program.

I, personally, don't want Scott back. But I'd like someone with the same passion with a bit of a different program.

I had and still have several close friends that are high school coaches. The first spring CNS was on campus a few of them went to the University and took a tour of the football facilities. It was the first day of the "4th Quarter Program." They were in the indoor and the managers were placing large trash cans around the perimeter of the facility. To my knowledge that program was off limits to anyone not directly related to the football team in all the years CNS was in charge. In other words, everyone was cleared out of the area while the players were filing in. To sum it up, they got down to the business of building a football program.