When you are the head coach at Alabama — and haven’t won 6 national championships — you’re going to live on the hot seat. By reaching the College Football Playoff, Kalen DeBoer has quieted the noise around his job security. However, questions about him sustaining the Crimson Tide long-term have led people to suggest he’ll leave on his own accord.
If DeBoer were looking to get out of Tuscaloosa, Michigan represents a logical landing spot. Even though DeBoer seemingly squashed speculation that he’s interested in the Wolverines’ gig on Monday, ESPN’s Heather Dinich won’t be convinced until Michigan actually announces a new head coach.
“I will put an end to the speculation when the coaching search ends,” Dinich said on Get Up. “Do you remember Lincoln Riley standing up at the podium and saying, ‘I will not be the head coach at LSU.’ And then, 24 hours later, he was the head coach at USC. I realize it’s a different situation, but if Alabama loses to Oklahoma… I am going for Kalen DeBoer, because he would be the best option.”
Dinich admitted DeBoer’s successor at Washington, Jedd Fisch, might be Michigan’s “most realistic option.”
If Alabama beats Oklahoma in the first round of the CFP, it’s a safe bet that he won’t be going anywhere. A Crimson Tide loss, though, could potentially lead to his exit. If the Wolverines want him in Ann Arbor that badly, they’ll need to root for the Sooners.
Alabama and Oklahoma will kick off at 8:00 p.m. E.T. (ABC) on Friday night.
