Alabama’s loss to Indiana in the Rose Bowl is just the latest in what has become a disturbing trend in the Kalen DeBoer era
Alabama’s loss to Indiana wasn’t only disappointing, it was the latest in what has become all too common under Kalen DeBoer.
It’s one thing to lose. It’s another to get your doors blown off. Well, for the Alabama Crimson Tide, that is exactly what happened during the Rose Bowl on Thursday afternoon in Pasadena, California. It would be one thing if that was a rarity for the Crimson Tide over the last two seasons.
Here’s the issue, though. Not only does Alabama have eight total losses in Kalen DeBoer’s first two seasons, but four of the team’s last six losses haven’t been close. In fact, they have featured an average margin of defeat that begs the question that no one in Alabama wants to ask.
Alabama’s average margin of defeat is startling under Kalen DeBoer
Nick Saban was not immune to losing games or having down years. But he never lost eight games in two seasons. He never saw his team lose the way Alabama did against the Hoosiers on Thursday. That game looked like varsity against JV. It was 38-3 with over 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter.
So, while DeBoer was sure to quiet the rumors about his departure, and athletic director Greg Byrne backed his future with the program. The losses that have occurred over the last two years make you wonder if DeBoer is in fact the right man for the job. A question I asked A to Z Sports Alabama contributor Josh Taylor.
Can Alabama win big with Kalen DeBoer?
“There’s no telling why, and Kalen DeBoer needs to figure it out, but when things go south for Alabama, it gets ugly. It’s how they started the season against Florida State in one of the biggest upsets of the season, and it’s how they ended the season against Indiana. They were able to flip a switch against Oklahoma in the first round and come back after being down 17-0, but that’s not a stable way to go through each week and rely on a shift with a handful of plays. We just haven’t seen Alabama come out strong, put their foot on someone’s throat and leave it there for four quarters against an FBS team since the Tennessee game in October.
“I hate to say the team feels defeated early on, but that’s how it looks when they go down early or have absolutely no momentum to build off of. It was shocking to see the defense struggle and just never recover against Indiana in both the passing and running game. They got hit in the face with one punch, and it stunned them for the rest of the game. This should be a wake-up call to DeBoer to reset the expectations in the locker room.” – Taylor
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