Paul Finebaum: Alabama isn't 'good enough' to win a national championship in Year 1 under Kalen DeBoer

Alabama ranks No. 5 in the Preseason AP Top 25 poll ahead of their first season under new head coach Kalen DeBoer. Who fills in for the legendary Nick Saban following his retirement in January and left annual national championship expectations for the Crimson Tide program.

Host of ESPN’s Get Up Mike Greenberg asked SEC Network’s Paul Finebaum if he believes Alabama has the potential to secure a national title this season under their new head coach. Proving an answer that Crimson Tide fans won’t be too happy to hear in Tuscaloosa.

“Greeny, it’s a really simple answer. No,” Finebaum said. “I don’t think this team is good enough. Nick Saban himself told you a couple weeks ago one of their deficiencies is in the defensive secondary. That’s on him, that’s what he used to coach, and he lost his best player, or Kalen DeBoer did, to Ohio State in Caleb Downs.”

“So I think they’re challenged, I think the schedule is overwhelming, I think they could make the playoffs, but they are not going to win the national championship without Nick Saban. Not yet, at least.”

Aside from the obvious coaching staff changes, Alabama’s roster this season will also look much different this year compared to last year’s team that won the SEC title and appeared in the College Football Playoff. Losing 33 total players to the transfer portal following Saban’s departure.

Which Finebaum believes hurt Alabama’s roster just enough to leave them out of national championship contention.

“The team is very good, but they’re missing some key elements and that’s what happened when Nick Saban left,” Finebaum added. “They lost two or three incredible players and I think [that] could be the difference between making the playoffs and winning the playoffs. Ultimately, Kalen DeBoer is good enough to win at all, but not this year.”

Former Florida State quarterback and ACC Network analyst EJ Manuel chimed in on the topic, disagreeing with Finebaum and arguing that the Crimson Tide have enough to compete for a national championship. Especially given the track record and offensive acumen of their new head coach.

“They’re going to be there at the finish, and the reason I say that Kalen DeBoer does an excellent job of providing more time for the quarterback,” Manuel said. “You go back at his time to Washington, in 28 games they only had 16 sacks, and that was Michael Penix Jr. quarterback. And of course, they had one of the best offensive lines in the country. Jalen Milroe got sacked over 40 times last year, so that’s something that Coach DeBoer can bring this Alabama Crimson Tide offensive line.”

“Protect the passer, play excellent defense, and look guys it’s Alabama. I mean they still get the pick of the litter as far as talent from the high school ranks and certainly the transfer portal, so I think they’re still going to be well in the hunt,” Manuel explained. “That’s why they’re number five right now in the AP Top 25 preseason.”

DeBoer has a strong reputation for winning games in a hurry at each of his head coaching stops in his career, but will he be able to do the same immediately in Tuscaloosa and have the Crimson Tide competing for a national title this year?