Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer is set to face a monumental challenge in the upcoming NCAA season, and things have only become more difficult following the decommitment of a top-tier recruit.
The Crimson Tide are preparing for what they hope will be a revenge tour in 2025. After a frustrating and disappointing season under Kalen DeBoer, the head coach is aiming for a redemption story in his second year at the helm. But as if things weren’t already tough enough, the program now faces further setbacks: star quarterback Jalen Milroe has declared for the NFL Draft, and one of their most highly anticipated recruits has made the decision to decommit from Alabama.
As fans in Tuscaloosa are well aware, when things go wrong, they tend to spiral quickly. This has not been the usual experience for the university’s football program—especially during the tenure of legendary coach Nick Saban—but with Saban’s departure, the tide has turned in an unfortunate direction. The Crimson Tide failed to secure 10 wins in a season for the first time since Saban took charge. Though DeBoer got off to a rocky start, he remains confident that his best coaching efforts have yet to be seen. However, the pressure is mounting, and the 2025 season will be critical. A successful campaign, at the very least, demands a playoff appearance.
But DeBoer faces an uphill battle. The SEC is as competitive as ever, with every school gunning for the team that once dominated the landscape of college football. Adding to his worries, DeBoer recently learned that one of the program’s top recruits, five-star offensive tackle Ty Haywood, has officially decommitted.
This loss is a significant blow for Alabama’s offense, which had been banking on Haywood’s talent to strengthen their line. Although Haywood never officially signed during the Early Signing Period, his public decommitment, as reported by BamaOnline’s Andrew Bone, has left fans with little hope for an immediate rebound.
The timing of Haywood’s departure is particularly frustrating given the uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position for the upcoming season. Whether it will be five-star freshman Keelon Russell or redshirt junior Ty Simpson taking the snaps remains up in the air, but it’s clear both could have greatly benefited from the presence of Haywood on the offensive line.
As if things couldn’t get worse, DeBoer and Alabama are also feeling the effects of the transfer portal. However, there is a silver lining in the form of Germie Bernard, the team’s leading receiver. Bernard has announced he will stay in Tuscaloosa for his final season before entering the NFL Draft in the spring of 2026.
Bernard, who was one of Milroe’s most dependable targets, enjoyed a stellar junior campaign. He led the team with 50 receptions for 794 yards and two touchdowns. Along with Ryan Williams, Bernard formed one of the most dangerous wide receiver duos in college football. DeBoer will be hoping that this strong partnership continues into the next season, as a new quarterback steps in. If history proves anything, it’s that great wide receivers can help elevate the play of their quarterbacks, and Alabama will be banking on that formula to steer the ship in 2025.
