DeBoer took Washington to the championship game in his second season as head coach. Is it realistic to expect the same thing at Alabama?

Alabama football landed at No. 17 in the final coaches poll top 25 of the 2024 season. The Crimson Tide finished off Kalen DeBoer’s first season 9-4 after losing the ReliaQuest Bowl to Michigan. Five coaches left UA out of the top 25 entirely. DeBoer, also a voter in the poll, put his team a bit higher than the average.

When Kalen DeBoer was introduced as Alabama football’s head coach one year ago, he did not make specific proclamations about his first season.

After finishing the season 9-4 with losses to Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Michigan, the Crimson Tide was listed as the No. 17 team in the final US LBM Coaches Poll released Tuesday. In his final coaches poll of the season, Kalen DeBoer had the Crimson Tide a bit higher.

Kalen DeBoer earned a less-than-stellar grade from ESPN for his coaching performance in his first season after taking over for Nick Saban.

Here’s what Kalen DeBoer’s career has looked like in his second seasons as a head coach ahead of heading into year two at Alabama.

Alabama head football coach Kalen DeBoer and UGA's Kirby Smart had agendas while deciding where to rank Tennessee in the US LBM Coaches Poll.

ESPN revealed their grades for 2024 first-year head coaches and they weren't too kind to Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer. DeBoer, who replaced Nick Saban as the Crimson Tide's head coach in early 2024,