Peter Burns: Alabama in 'better spot moving forward' with Kalen DeBoer replacing Nick Saban

Alabama has spent the offseason transitioning into its next era from Nick Saban to Kalen DeBoer. Still, for all the achievement by the Crimson Tide over the past decade and a half, some actually see the step in the new direction as a better one in ways down in Tuscaloosa.

Peter Burns, Harry Douglas, and Matt Barrie discussed life without Saban during ‘Get Up’ on Friday. Burns began by noting how odd it’ll be seeing another man walk out for ‘Bama at SEC Media Days.

“It’s going to be so weird at Media Days not seeing him there,” Burns said. “He’s the Godfather of the SEC.”

From there, the adjustment will Alabama will continue through the first three games of their season. At that point, ready or not, Burns says DeBoer better prepare himself for what’ll be arriving in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

“It’s going to look the same for Alabama fans for the first three weeks,” Burns said. “You know who they’ve got Week Four? They got Georgia coming into Tuscaloosa and Hell hath no fury like a Georgia football team and Kirby Smart that is scorned right now because they know that Nick Saban has been that hurdle over the last couple of years.”

However, moving forward, Burns actually thinks that DeBoer is better-suited to lead the program into the future. Replicating the on-field success is obviously going to be the challenge. In his opinion, though, being able to handle the modern aspects of the sport will likely be easier for DeBoer.

“I will say this: as tough as it’s going to be for Alabama to replace Nick Saban, I think they’re in a better spot (with DeBoer) because Nick Saban was there – the guy that coached college football 2.0 – before the transfer portal, before NIL,” explained Burns. “I don’t think he liked to play that game. Kalen DeBoer is ready for that transition. Alabama is actually going to be in a better spot moving forward.”

Barrie agreed in that sense. While Saban built a dynasty at ‘Bama, it was one that he founded back in 2007. After 17 seasons, not everything from that necessarily fully lines up with where the game is in 2024.

“I would say, with respect to Nick Saban and what you said about him, (DeBoer) replaced a legend, you never want to be the guy that replaces a legend. But, because it’s a different era in college football, what the legend built necessarily isn’t the playing field that everybody else is on now in the sport,” said Barrie.

Douglas also concurred because, for him, DeBoer needs to be anything but what Saban was. Trying to follow him step by step isn’t going to work when you’re coming after the best of all time. That’s why he wants DeBoer to do his own thing by continuing the work that got him the job in the first place.

“I love Kalen DeBoer. What he has been able to do at Washington in two years, bringing them to a national powerhouse, is coming to Alabama,” said Douglas. “I think what’s important for him is to put your own twang on things. I think where a lot of coaches mess up when they’re replacing legends is trying to do so much of what the last coach did. Put your own twang on it, get those guys to buy into your culture, and do things your way.”

The fact of the matter is DeBoer is never going to be Saban. Even so, what he can be is the man who leads Alabama into his own era of success in the modern day of the program.