There's a chance that new Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer picks up where Nick Saban left off and leads the Crimson Tide to a College Football Playoff appearance in 2024. 

There's also a chance that DeBoer fails spectacularly and Alabama is looking for another head coach in a couple of years. 

I think scenario two is far more likely. And I think we've already seen some signs as to why it's probably going to be the outcome for DeBoer in Tuscaloosa. 

It's not that I don't believe in DeBoer's ability to have success in the SEC. He's a South Dakota native just like Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel. And he's facing many of the same questions that Heupel faced when he took over as Tennessee's head coach three years ago this month. So far, it's worked out pretty well for Heupel in the SEC. It would be unwise to suggest that DeBoer can't have success just like Heupel. 

It's the situation at Alabama, however, that's going to cause DeBoer to fail. 

And I think anyone that took over this situation would suffer the same fate. 

DeBoer, simply put, isn't going to be able to be Kalen DeBoer at Alabama. Instead, he's going to be who he thinks the Alabama version of DeBoer should be. And that's going to be the case mostly because of the presence of Saban. 

It's already been made clear that Saban is going to have an office at Alabama while staying involved with the program, which means he'll be keeping a close eye on DeBoer. 

"I'm gonna be here. So I’m gonna be here for you. I'm gonna have a presence," said Saban to ESPN about his message to players after he announced his retirement. "I'm gonna stay in Tuscaloosa. They're giving me an office in the stadium. And I said, ‘I can get on your butt from there just like I can from on the field.'"

DeBoer said during his introductory press conference that he's going to give Saban 100 percent access to his operation at Alabama. He also mentioned that he wants Saban to give him at least one piece of advice every day. 

Kalen DeBoer on Nick Saban: "100 percent access to everything. I would be a fool if that wasn't the case. I'm gonna ask him that he shows up and gives me at least one thing every day. I'm sure he's going to have 10. I'm gonna be good with that. But at least one thing he sees that…

— Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) January 13, 2024

That might sound like an ideal scenario for Alabama fans, but it's not. DeBoer isn't going to have success at Alabama by trying to do things like Saban. 

After all, DeBoer received this opportunity because he's done things the Kalen DeBoer way, not because of any advice from Saban (and honestly, advice from Saban hasn't always worked out for coaches in the past…just ask Jeremy Pruitt, Derek Dooley, Billy Napier, Jim McElwain, Will Muschamp, or any number of other failed coaches from the Saban tree). The last thing he needs is Saban micromanaging his every move. 

If DeBoer is going to stand any chance of having success at Alabama, then Saban needs to head to his massive Florida home and let DeBoer run the program his way. Saban has to be completely hands off if DeBoer is going to build his own unique culture at Alabama. 

It has to be the DeBoer way for this hire to work out. But so far, it sounds like it's going to be Saban's version of the DeBoer way, which means this hire is doomed from the start. 

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