Where Alabama's Kalen DeBoer Ranks Among Best Coaches in College Football

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Taylor Hartman | Last updated May 17, 2025 2:08 PM ET

Kalen DeBoer is climbing the ranks of college football’s best coaches, landing at No. 7 in the latest rankings. Despite a challenging first season with the Alabama Crimson Tide, there’s still a strong belief that he has what it takes to lead the team back to national prominence.

One of the biggest reasons for confidence in DeBoer is his success against top competition. Over the past five seasons, he’s gone 15-3 against top-25 teams, trailing only Georgia’s Kirby Smart and Ohio State’s Ryan Day in that category. Winning big games has been a staple of his career, showing he doesn’t need the perfect setup to succeed.

What sets DeBoer apart is his ability to elevate every program he’s been a part of. Whether as a coordinator or head coach, he has consistently led teams to historic levels of success. That’s why some analysts aren’t too concerned about Alabama’s struggles last year. According to ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura, DeBoer’s track record proves he can build a winning culture without benefiting from inherited talent and resources.

Still, not everyone is completely sold. Some believe that making the College Football Playoff this year is the final step he needs to take to fully cement himself among the elite. While his coaching resume is impressive, Alabama looked shaky last season, and quarterback Jalen Milroe didn’t progress as expected.

Replacing a legend like Nick Saban is never easy, and Alabama is built to win now. If DeBoer can return the Crimson Tide to the playoffs and bring back the consistency that has long defined Alabama football, there won’t be any doubts left about where he stands in the national coaching hierarchy.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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