Following the greatest coach in college football history was never going to be easy.
National championships and Southeastern Conference titles weren’t always a given during Nick Saban’s 17-year reign at Alabama, though it often seemed that way. Double-digit win totals, however, became the expected minimum, as the Crimson Tide won at least 10 games in Saban’s last 16 seasons and at least 11 in his final 13.
Kalen DeBoer went 9-4 last season in his Alabama debut. Quite understandably, there were no parades for that.
“We fell short of making the playoffs, and it’s as simple as that,” DeBoer said Wednesday as SEC media days continued in Atlanta at the College Football Hall of Fame. “I think there are a lot of things I am super proud of that are happening within the program that are part of the progression. Sure, we want it right now, too, and we fell short, but I’m proud of our guys in the way they responded to us not realizing the goals that we set out to have and getting back to work and focusing on the main thing.
“I feel like that’s always been the case, but sometimes there are ups and downs you have to go through, unfortunately, that we had to experience. We’re going to take advantage of the failures we’ve had and be better because of it.”