Nick Saban echoes Kalen DeBoer, says Alabama is ‘flying under the radar’ entering 2026
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban spoke to Pat McAfee about the job current Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer is doing in Tuscaloosa on Thursday.
In his comments, Saban told McAfee that he believes the Crimson Tide are flying under the radar entering the 2026 season. In doing so, he echoed DeBoer himself, who used that exact terminology on Wednesday.
It certainly seems that way, too. The SEC Media Poll will release after Media Days concludes, but Alabama is not expected to be in the top 3 as Texas, Georgia, Ole Miss and LSU grab national attention. But with QB Ty Simpson and several defenders off the NFL, and a QB battle ongoing as we near fall camp, the lack of buzz is noticable.
Here’s what Saban told McAfee:
“I think he’s doing a really good job. Do I think it’s an easy job? Hell no,” Saban said, via Mike Rodak. This league is a tough league. Recruiting is tough. This culture that we have now where people are going all over the country based on the new economic situation players have makes it even more difficult. But I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for him to take on that challenge and embrace that challenge and try to work through it and build something special at Alabama.”
“I’ve always been very supportive of him and I’m hopeful that – they’re flying a little bit under the radar in terms of the kind of team they have and what they lost and what they have to replace — but I’m hoping that they do well and he comes out of this on top.”
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Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
