Stephen A. Smith Criticizes Kalen DeBoer as Saban's Successor at Alabama

ESPN personality doubts DeBoer's ability to maintain Crimson Tide's championship pedigree

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith has been a vocal critic of Kalen DeBoer since he took over as Alabama's head coach in 2024, replacing the legendary Nick Saban. Smith believes DeBoer lacks the same persona and championship mentality that made Saban so successful, pointing to Alabama's losses to unranked opponents and blowout defeats under DeBoer's leadership.

Why it matters

Saban built Alabama into a college football powerhouse, winning six national championships and 10 SEC titles during his 18-year tenure. Replacing a coach of that caliber is an immense challenge, and Smith's criticism of DeBoer's performance suggests concerns that the Crimson Tide may not be able to maintain their championship standard under new leadership.

The details

Smith cited Alabama's losses to Indiana, Florida State, and Georgia under DeBoer, noting that Saban's teams rarely suffered such blowout defeats. He also pointed to DeBoer's 20-8 record over his first two seasons, including a SEC title game loss and a 1-1 record in the College Football Playoff, as evidence that the program has taken a step back from the Saban era.

  • In 2024, Kalen DeBoer took over as Alabama's head coach, replacing Nick Saban.
  • During the 2024 season, Alabama lost three games by a touchdown or less, but also suffered a 19-point road defeat to Oklahoma.
  • In the 2025 season, Alabama started with a 14-point road loss to Florida State, was blown out by Georgia in the SEC title game, and ended the year with a 38-3 loss to Indiana in the College Football Playoff.

The players

Kalen DeBoer

The current head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, taking over for the legendary Nick Saban in 2024.

Nick Saban

The former head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, widely considered one of the greatest college football coaches of all time, having won six national championships and 10 SEC titles during his 18-year tenure.

Stephen A. Smith

A prominent ESPN personality and commentator who has been a vocal critic of Kalen DeBoer's performance as Alabama's head coach.

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What they’re saying

“I'm not a fan of Kalen DeBoer as the successor to Nick Saban. I have no problem with him as a football coach.”

— Stephen A. Smith (The Paul Finebaum Show on SEC Network)

“There was just something that's been missing, and it's always been missing. I knew it from day one, because when he got there, I just saw a different persona than what Nick Saban brought to the table.”

— Stephen A. Smith (The Paul Finebaum Show on SEC Network)

“I have no doubt that Alabama may have lost to Indiana, okay. But there's no way in hell you can convince me that a Nick Saban team was gonna wave the white flag and just basically surrender to an ass-kicking, excuse my language, because that's what it was, when they went up against Indiana, losing 38-3.”

— Stephen A. Smith (The Paul Finebaum Show on SEC Network)

What’s next

It remains to be seen if Kalen DeBoer can silence his critics and lead Alabama back to the championship level that Saban established. The Crimson Tide's performance in the 2026 season will be closely watched as DeBoer looks to solidify his legacy.

The takeaway

Stephen A. Smith's criticism of Kalen DeBoer highlights the immense challenge of replacing a coaching legend like Nick Saban at a program like Alabama. While DeBoer has had some success, he has yet to match the championship pedigree and dominance that defined Saban's tenure, raising doubts about the Crimson Tide's ability to maintain their status as an elite college football program.