PRESS PICKS (Week 2): DeBoer must go... and take his $70 million with him
STAFF REPORT
Remember when you were a child (some of you still are) and you wanted an ice cream cone and hollered from the back seat of the car as you passed by your favorite Dairy De-Lite, hoping and praying your parents would pull in and get you what you wanted?
But they rarely did, especially since you hadn’t eaten supper yet and it wasn’t the weekend when you were typically awarded for good behavior.
What does that have to do with Kalen DeBoer and the Alabama Crimson Tide? Nothing. But the analogy is a lot like the sound of college football experts, former players and relentless fans who want immediate change with the football program.
Folks, it ain’t happening until you eat your vegetables.
It’’s quite silly to even consider the firing of a coach barely into his second season. Yeah, the loss to Florida State was embarrassing and more may be on the way. But no organization in its right mind would jump to conclusions and immediately remove a coach based on a single poor performance.
Oh, so this is not just about the opener but also similar renditions from a year ago? OK, good point. But it still doesn’t make sense to call for his head.
Fans are fans. They expect a 30-point victory with any team that has a pulse and a 50-point win against a nobody. Florida State has been in-between but a follow-up to a 2-10 season can’t be an immediate return to respectability, right? Not against the vaunted Crimson Tide. They have to work their way up and that doesn’t include humiliating the No. 8 team in the preseason polls.
At least that’s how it’s supposed to work.
So, why is it Alabama fans are done with DeBoer? Well, it’s easy. We are in a disposable society where if we don’t like something, we get rid of it… Cars, clothes, spouses, exercise bikes… they all can go if they don’t suit us or make us uncomfortable.
So, why not a football coach? We need a Saban look-a-like. Better yet, he’s still got an office on campus. Pull him back in the fold, if only for a little bit to recover from this trashy decision to hire somebody from the West Coast.
What were they thinking?
Who cares how much it will cost the athletic department? Any questions can be referred to Auburn University where the program still has about four or five previous coaches on its payroll.
It makes no sense to try to reason with these people. Their mind is made up. DeBoer and his staff have to go. Nothing can make up for all of the unpleasant memories already established by this interloper.
Besides, there’s a replacement already picked out, assuming Jon Gruden is still available.
2025 Standings (Last week)
1. Michael Butler 11-5 (23-7) .767
2. Tim Gayle 11-5 (22-8) .733
Doug Amos 11-5 (22-8) .733
Wesley Lyle 11-5 (22-8) .700
5. Graham Dunn 11-5 (21-9) .700
Mike Peacock 12-4 (21-9) .700
7. Rick Hendrick 9-7 (20-10) .667
Barry McKnight 10-6 (20-10) .667
9. Lindsey Bonner 8-8 (8-6) .533
10. Rosie Langello 7-9 (15-15) .500
Michael Butler (WTLS 101.1&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
11-5 (23-7) .767
P. Julian at Stanhope Elmore (Thurs) - Julian
Wetumpka at Russell Co - Russell County
Eufaula at Catholic - Catholic
Montgomery Aca at Houston Aca - Montgomery Aca
Autauga Aca at Billingsley (Thurs) - Autauga Aca
Ball St at Auburn - Auburn
UL-Monroe at Alabama - Alabama
UAB at Navy - Navy
Michigan at Oklahoma - Oklahoma
Ole Miss at Kentucky - Ole Miss
South Florida at Florida - Florida
Arizona St at Miss St - Arizona St
Vanderbilt at Virginia Tech - Vandy
Kansas at Missouri - Missouri
Iowa at Iowa St - Iowa St
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports/Montgomery Independent)
11-5 (22-8) .733
P. Julian at Stanhope Elmore (Thurs) - Stanhope Elmore
Wetumpka at Russell Co - Wetumpka
Eufaula at Catholic - Catholic
Montgomery Aca at Houston Aca - Montgomery Aca
Autauga Aca at Billingsley (Thurs) - Autauga Aca
Ball St at Auburn - Auburn
UL-Monroe at Alabama - Alabama
UAB at Navy - Navy
Michigan at Oklahoma - Oklahoma
Ole Miss at Kentucky - Ole Miss
South Florida at Florida - Florida
Arizona St at Miss St - Miss St
Vanderbilt at Virginia Tech - Vanderbilt
Kansas at Missouri - Kansas
Iowa at Iowa St - Iowa St
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket)
11-5 (22-8) .733
P. Julian at Stanhope Elmore (Thurs) - Julian
Wetumpka at Russell Co - Russell County
Eufaula at Catholic - Catholic
Montgomery Aca at Houston Aca - Montgomery Aca
Autauga Aca at Billingsley (Thurs) - Autauga Aca
Ball St at Auburn - Auburn
UL-Monroe at Alabama - Alabama
UAB at Navy - Navy
Michigan at Oklahoma - Oklahoma
Ole Miss at Kentucky - Ole Miss
South Florida at Florida - Florida
Arizona St at Miss St - Arizona St
Vanderbilt at Virginia Tech - Va Tech
Kansas at Missouri - Missouri
Iowa at Iowa St - Iowa St
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports & al.com)
11-5 (22-8) .700
P. Julian at Stanhope Elmore (Thurs) - Stanhope Elmore
Wetumpka at Russell Co - Russell County
Eufaula at Catholic - Catholic
Montgomery Aca at Houston Aca - Houston Aca
Autauga Aca at Billingsley (Thurs) - Billingsley
Ball St at Auburn - Auburn
UL-Monroe at Alabama - Alabama
UAB at Navy - Navy
Michigan at Oklahoma - Oklahoma
Ole Miss at Kentucky - Ole Miss
South Florida at Florida - Florida
Arizona St at Miss St - Arizona St
Vanderbilt at Virginia Tech - Va Tech
Kansas at Missouri - Missouri
Iowa at Iowa St - Iowa St
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports/ASU Hornets Radio-Color)
12-4 (21-9) .700
P. Julian at Stanhope Elmore (Thurs) - Stanhope Elmore
Wetumpka at Russell Co - Russell County
Eufaula at Catholic - Catholic
Montgomery Aca at Houston Aca - Montgomery Aca
Autauga Aca at Billingsley (Thurs) - Billingsley
Ball St at Auburn - Auburn
UL-Monroe at Alabama - Alabama
UAB at Navy - UAB
Michigan at Oklahoma - Oklahoma
Ole Miss at Kentucky - Ole Miss
South Florida at Florida - Florida
Arizona St at Miss St - Arizona St
Vanderbilt at Virginia Tech - Va Tech
Kansas at Missouri - Missouri
Iowa at Iowa St - Iowa St
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/WTLS/Voice of Alabama State Hornets)
11-5 (21-9) .700
P. Julian at Stanhope Elmore (Thurs) - Stanhope Elmore
Wetumpka at Russell Co - Russell County
Eufaula at Catholic - Catholic
Montgomery Aca at Houston Aca - Houston Aca
Autauga Aca at Billingsley (Thurs) - Autauga Aca
Ball St at Auburn - Auburn
UL-Monroe at Alabama - Alabama
UAB at Navy - Navy
Michigan at Oklahoma - Oklahoma
Ole Miss at Kentucky - Ole Miss
South Florida at Florida - Florida
Arizona St at Miss St - Arizona St
Vanderbilt at Virginia Tech - Va Tech
Kansas at Missouri - Missouri
Iowa at Iowa St - Iowa
Barry McKnight (Voice of Troy Trojans)
10-6 (20-10) .667
P. Julian at Stanhope Elmore (Thurs) - Stanhope Elmore
Wetumpka at Russell Co - Wetumpka
Eufaula at Catholic - Eufaula
Montgomery Aca at Houston Aca - Montgomery Aca
Autauga Aca at Billingsley (Thurs) - Billingsley
Ball St at Auburn - Auburn
UL-Monroe at Alabama - Alabama
UAB at Navy - Navy
Michigan at Oklahoma - Oklahoma
Ole Miss at Kentucky - Ole Miss
South Florida at Florida - Florida
Arizona St at Miss St - Arizona St
Vanderbilt at Virginia Tech - Vandy
Kansas at Missouri - Kansas
Iowa at Iowa St - Iowa St
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA Montgomery Biscuits)
9-7 (20-10) .667
P. Julian at Stanhope Elmore (Thurs) - Stanhope Elmore
Wetumpka at Russell Co - Wetumpka
Eufaula at Catholic - Catholic
Montgomery Aca at Houston Aca - Montgomery Aca
Autauga Aca at Billingsley (Thurs) - Autauga Aca
Ball St at Auburn - Auburn
UL-Monroe at Alabama - Alabama
UAB at Navy - Navy
Michigan at Oklahoma - Oklahoma
Ole Miss at Kentucky - Ole Miss
South Florida at Florida - Florida
Arizona St at Miss St - Miss St
Vanderbilt at Virginia Tech - Va Tech
Kansas at Missouri - Missouri
Iowa at Iowa St - Iowa St
Lindsey Bonner (Sports Director - WAKA Ch. 8)
8-8 (16-14) .533
P. Julian at Stanhope Elmore (Thurs) - Stanhope Elmore
Wetumpka at Russell Co - Wetumpka
Eufaula at Catholic - Catholic
Montgomery Aca at Houston Aca - Montgomery Aca
Autauga Aca at Billingsley (Thurs) - Billingsley
Ball St at Auburn - Auburn
UL-Monroe at Alabama - Alabama
UAB at Navy - Navy
Michigan at Oklahoma - Michigan
Ole Miss at Kentucky - Ole Miss
South Florida at Florida - Florida
Arizona St at Miss St - Arizona St
Vanderbilt at Virginia Tech - Va Tech
Kansas at Missouri - Missouri
Iowa at Iowa St - Iowa St
Rosie Langello (Sports Director - WSFA Ch. 12)
7-9 (15-15) .500
P. Julian at Stanhope Elmore (Thurs) - Stanhope Elmore
Wetumpka at Russell Co - Wetumpka
Eufaula at Catholic - Catholic
Montgomery Aca at Houston Aca - Montgomery Aca
Autauga Aca at Billingsley (Thurs) - Billingsley
Ball St at Auburn - Auburn
UL-Monroe at Alabama - Alabama
UAB at Navy - Navy
Michigan at Oklahoma - Michigan
Ole Miss at Kentucky - Ole Miss
South Florida at Florida - Florida
Arizona St at Miss St - Arizona St
Vanderbilt at Virginia Tech - Vanderbilt
Kansas at Missouri - Missouri
Iowa at Iowa St - Iowa St