There were shockwaves throughout the collegiate football world when Nick Saban announced his retirement. Perhaps no team was happier than the Tennessee Vols’ fan base among the countless others to see the Alabama head coach retire.
Saban’s 16-1 record changed the once-enthusiastic Third Saturday in October into an annual humiliation. Every year for Tennessee, aside from the near misses in 2009 and 2015, it was like attempting to stop a tsunami with a hand towel. That is, until 2022. Tennessee defeated the dragon 52–49 in coach Saban’s final game in Knoxville, and they smoked those much-awaited victory cigars into the early hours of the morning.
And Saban is no more. It literally makes no difference who Alabama employs. No matter who takes over as head coach, Alabama won’t terrify the Vols for almost 20 years, like Tennessee fans endured under Nick Saban. Not taking place.
Turns out, Kalen DeBoer of Washington is the new coach, having reportedly accepted the Alabama position on Friday afternoon. Furthermore, why not? It’s difficult to imagine DeBoer being in a position to profit more than he is at this time.
Alabama has one of the best, if not the best, program in the nation. But not many individuals desired to be in that situation. Oregon is where Dan Lanning stayed. Still based in Austin was Steve Sarkisian. At Florida State, Mike Norvell is still in place. It appears that all of those coaches were ranked higher than the ones that Bama is adding.
And the reason for it is that DeBoer will be walking into Godzilla-sized shoes. If this year is any indication, Saban developed a level of greatness in football that will probably never be matched in a sport that has gotten more balanced in the era of NIL and the transfer portal, with a record of 206-29 at Bama.
It’s a risk for DeBoer. 10-2 will likely earn an extension and a pat on the back from the folks in Washington. It’ll earn angry message board posters calling for his head in Tuscaloosa. It’s a tough job that’s going to be a challenge for DeBoer to stabilize quickly. Case in point with top Bama WR Isaiah Bond reportedly putting his name in the transfer portal on Friday. Regardless, Tennessee now knows who’s the opposite number of Josh Heupel when Tennessee and Alabama meet on the third Saturday of October in 2024 (October 19). It remains to be seen, depending on format, whether the schools will continue matching up on an annual basis beyond that.
Nevertheless, Saban won’t be gazing back across the field. That alone increases the Big Orange’s interest in the showdown this autumn.
