Greg McElroy gives honest letter grade for Kalen DeBoer in first year at Alabama

Kalen DeBoer wrapped up his first season as head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide before the New Year. His team finished the season 9-4 overall and just barely missed out on the College Football Playoffs.

ESPN’s Greg McElroy recently graded first-year head coaches like DeBoer, Michigan‘s Sherrone Moore, Indiana‘s Curt Cignetti and more. He slapped a B- over DeBoer’s name after losing his group lost two of its last three games to end the season.

“There were some challenges, some adjustments, some roster tinkering that were very difficult,” McElroy said. “I think that they were remarkably inconsistent from start to finish, almost on a week to week basis. You’d watch him, you’d say, ‘Wow, that that’s the way it’s supposed to look.’ And then you’d watch and be like, ‘My goodness, what was that?’ There were levels of inconsistency that were really hard to wrap your head around.

“… It was just constantly a roller coaster, and that is something that is going to be very important for the staff to try to iron out as they continue to move forward. I do think the bowl loss was one that is more difficult to get over than I think a lot of people are probably giving it credit.”

The Crimson Tide ultimately fell to the Wolverines 19-13 in the ReliaQuest Bowl on New Year’s Eve. For that — McElroy couldn’t give him an A grade.

“But had he won the bowl game against Michigan, I think this could have taken this grade and to a different level,” McElroy continued. “I also think you need to look at the penalties. I need to look at the amount of scrutiny that this team is, naturally, always going to receive. But overall, year one grade for Kalen DeBoer, I’m giving him a B-.”

2024 marked the first time Alabama failed to reach 10 wins since Nick Saban’s first season leading the program in 2007.

Alabama has lost 24 players to the NCAA transfer portal since the end of the regular season, and have only added eight of those back. However, McElroy is optimistic for DeBoer and his roster in year two. However, as of this report, DeBoer has pieced together the No. 2 recruiting class ahead of the 2025 season and the future appears to be bright in Tuscaloosa.

“I think it was better than people realize,” McElroy said of the Tide’s season. “Especially when you take into account how bad the portal was for the Crimson Tide last year, the amount of great players they lost, the amount of depth they lost, and the amount of youth they had to rely on this roster, still getting nine wins, I think, is something to be commended.”