Rece Davis says Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama job is secure

What Happened

Alabama enters Kalen DeBoer’s third season after going 11-4 in 2025, finishing with a College Football Playoff win and a Rose Bowl loss to Indiana. Rece Davis said DeBoer’s job isn’t in jeopardy unless Alabama produces “some type of empty elevator shaft season.” Davis added that Alabama should be good, though he wasn’t sure the Crimson Tide would reach the playoff. Alabama is 20-8 under DeBoer and opens the 2026 season ranked No. 13, outside the preseason top 10 for the first time since 2008. No official Alabama statement on DeBoer’s job security was included.

Why It Matters

• A No. 13 preseason ranking creates less margin for a slow start than Alabama’s usual national expectations, even after last season’s playoff appearance.
• DeBoer’s record has improved from 9-4 in 2024 to 11-4 in 2025, giving Alabama a results-based case to keep him in place.
• The immediate test arrives against East Carolina before Alabama’s schedule can shape the playoff conversation.

THE PATE STATE READ

Davis deserves credit for separating urgency from actual job danger. Alabama’s task isn’t proving DeBoer can win games; it’s turning last year’s 10-2 regular season and playoff win into a season that survives the SEC Championship and Rose Bowl-level pressure. The No. 13 ranking adds noise, not a verdict. This moves the temperature around DeBoer, not the status of his job. That changes if Alabama’s 2026 results fall far below the 11-win standard it set last season.(Josh has not yet commented.)

What's Next

• September 5, 2026: Alabama opens the season against East Carolina.