From Saban’s Dynasty to DeBoer’s Dawn
Legion Field, Birmingham, Alabama. 1994. The concrete and steel colossus swayed beneath my feet.
I was screaming.
The girl next to me was screaming.
80,000 fans around me were screaming.
Undefeated Alabama playing undefeated Auburn. Alabama ahead by a touchdown, but Auburn driving. 4th and three. A completion across the middle. Sam Shade and Tommy Johnson absolutely crushing the Auburn receiver inches from the line to gain.
I didn’t think a louder sound was possible, but the crowd proved me wrong. That was the day I realized Alabama football was more. That feeling of victory connected me to all those students, alumni, and fans from years past who had experienced the same joy with their iteration of Alabama football.
I graduated from the University, both undergrad and law school. I’ve witnessed the Crimson Tide football shift from the highs of Gene Stallings (in the 1990s) to the malaise of Mike Shula (in the early 2000s).
I’m too young to remember Coach Bryant’s dominance in the 60s and 70s. Or the earlier national champion and Rose Bowl teams of the 20s and 30s.
As a student and later a season-ticket holder (only relinquishing them when my kids’ sports schedules began to conflict), I know every lyric to "Yeah Alabama," “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Dixieland Delight” (yes, even the dirty ones), and “Rammer Jammer.”
Hey Auburn!/Hey Auburn!/Hey Auburn!/We just beat the hell out of you!/Rammer Jammer/Yellowhammer/Give ’em hell Alabama!
FYI — the Yellowhammer is the state bird. We used to sing these lyrics before the games — changing “We just” to “We’re gonna” but the “powers that be” determined it to be poor sportsmanship. Afterward is fine, somehow?
Alabama football was low after Coach Stallings. Then Coach Mal Moore, a Bear assistant who had become athletic director, brought its savior home, Nick Saban.
The GOAT
Nick Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa in 2007 at the age of 56. He had already won a singular national championship at LSU. But what he achieved at Alabama over the next 17 years made him the Greatest of All Time:
- 6 National Championships (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020)
- 9 SEC Championships
- 183–25 overall record at Alabama (an astounding 88% win rate)
- 127–19 in SEC play- 80% win rate against AP Top 25 teams
- 44 first-round NFL draft picks
- 123 total NFL draft picks
Alabama was consistently dominate under Saban. The program served as the benchmark for all others. They appeared in the College Football Playoff in seven of its nine years of existence, missing out only in 2019 and 2022.
Next Man Up
Kalen DeBoer steps into the largest shoes in football. He has proven to be a winner in his own right.
- 104–12 overall record as a head coach (89.7% win rate)
- 3 NAIA National Championships at Sioux Falls (2006, 2008, 2009)
- 25–3 record in two seasons at Washington, including: — 2023 Pac-12 Championship — 2023 National Championship game appearance
- Turned Washington from a 4–8 team to a national title contender in just two years
- Developed NFL talent including Michael Penix Jr.
DeBoer is an offensive mastermind (while Coach Saban was a defensive.) At Washington, in 2023, the Huskies averaged 36.2 points per game.
Pre-Alabama Accomplishments: Saban vs. DeBoer
When comparing Saban and DeBoer’s pre-Alabama resumes, it’s clear that Saban had a more extensive Power 5 experience. By age 56, Saban had:
Led LSU to a National Championship (2003)
Won two SEC Championships at LSU (2001, 2003)
Turned around Michigan State’s program, including a 10–2 season in 1999
NFL head coaching experience with the Miami Dolphins (15–17 record)
At 49, DeBoer’s Power 5 experience is limited to two years at the University of Washington. However, his accomplishments include:
Three NAIA National Championships at Sioux Falls
Successful stints as an offensive coordinator at Eastern Michigan, Fresno State, and Indiana
A rapid turnaround of the Washington program
While Saban’s pre-Alabama resume is more impressive, he was seven years older. What might Deboer’s record look like if he had spent seven more years in a power five conference?
Alabama also has a way of elevating coaches to new heights. Consider Mike Shula, who came to Alabama in 2003 with zero head coaching experience. Despite scholarship limitations due to NCAA sanctions, Shula still managed a 10-win season in 2005. He was a last second decision by Tim Tebow to stay at Florida from perhaps having his own run at championships.
The Alabama program provides resources, support, and a talent pipeline that can accelerate a coach’s success. This fact makes DeBoer’s potential trajectory all the more intriguing. If he can achieve so much at Washington in just two years, what might he accomplish with Alabama’s resources behind him?
The Challenge Ahead
You don’t follow the GOAT without big cajoles. The expectations at Alabama will always be sky-high, and the SEC is more competitive than ever with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma.
Saban showed the flexibility to deal with changes, both rules and recruiting. He hired Lane Kiffin when it became apparent that he needed a better offense to win.
DeBoer must be able to show the same type of flexibility with NIL and transfer portal changes undoubtedly on the horizon.
A Fan’s Perspective
The end of such an amazing era is bittersweet. On one hand, would love to see it continue, on the other, want Coach Saban to enjoy the fruits of his success for himself and his gracious wife, Miss Terry.
I must admit that I’m also excited to see DeBoer’s offense with Alabama level talent. It may just usher in a new era of dominance at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Every college football fan not wearing crimson will love that.
Roll Tide. And here's Dixieland Delight, just for you!
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