Paul Finebaum Shuts Down Hot Seat Rumors Surrounding Prominent College Football Coach originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2024 college football season marked significant changes for the Alabama Crimson Tide, as legendary head coach Nick Saban was no longer on the sidelines for the first time in 17 seasons.
Kalen DeBoer replaced Saban after he announced his retirement following the 2023 season. DeBoer had just led the Washington Huskies to the national championship game, although they lost to the Michigan Wolverines.
DeBoer’s inaugural season did not go well, as Alabama finished with a record of 9-4, marking the worst performance since Saban’s first year in 2007. Three of those losses were against teams that ended the season with five or more losses.
During “The Paul Finebaum Show,” the SEC Network analyst discussed whether another nine-win season would put DeBoer on the hot seat. Finebaum expressed that he does not believe this is likely.
“All I know right now is Kalen DeBoer has a lot of support in Alabama,” Finebaum said. “I think that’s important. It’s one thing if you start the season on shaky ground. He does not. His recruiting has been outstanding. Everyone seems to be aligned with him.”
Paul Finebaum Thinks Alabama Will Return to the College Football Playoff
Finebaum is optimistic about the Crimson Tide this season. He believes Alabama will reach the College Football Playoff this year.
“I think if Alabama goes to the playoffs this year, and I think they will, the reason why they didn’t go last year was Grubb’s decision to take the NFL job, instead of staying in Tuscaloosa,” Finebaum previously said. “I think he’s that important.”
Ryan Grubb initially decided to follow DeBoer to Alabama, but later changed his mind and accepted the offensive coordinator position with the Seattle Seahawks instead. As a result, Nick Sheridan was appointed as the offensive coordinator for Alabama.
In February, Grubb rejoined DeBoer at Alabama and was named the offensive coordinator. Finebaum believes Grubb will be crucial to the Crimson Tide’s return to the playoff.
ESPN’s Football Power Index Gives Reasons for Optimism
ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) evaluates team strength and seeks to provide the most accurate prediction of a team’s performance throughout the season. As per the FPI, Alabama is currently ranked as the No. 3 team in the nation, trailing only the Texas Longhorns and the Georgia Bulldogs.
The FPI forecasts that Alabama will conclude the season with a 10-2 record and assigns a 17.2% probability of the Tide winning the SEC. Additionally, the FPI indicates that the Crimson Tide have a 66.2% chance of making a playoff return for the first time under Coach DeBoer. Moreover, Alabama has a 10.8% chance of winning the national championship, which places them in a tie with the defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes for the third-best odds in the nation.
QB Battle Could Determine Alabama’s Season
Alabama is facing a quarterback battle this offseason. Jalen Milroe was selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Seahawks and is expected to be replaced by Ty Simpson.
Simpson is competing for the starting position against Austin Mack, who followed DeBoer from the Washington Huskies, and five-star recruit Keelon Russell, part of the 2025 recruiting class.
Although Simpson was once a five-star prospect, he has only attempted 50 passes at Alabama, totaling 381 yards. Mack has thrown just three passes, and Russell has not thrown any. Instead of a traditional spring game scrimmage, the Crimson Tide chose to hold a practice session, which meant fans did not have the opportunity to see the three quarterbacks compete in a game-like setting.
The Crimson Tide will start the season at Doak S. Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida, against the Florida State Seminoles at 3:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 30.
Related: Paul Finebaum Reveals What Might Cost Alabama a National Championship
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
