Opinion: Why Alabama fans won’t forget Kalen DeBoer lost to Vanderbilt, but they can forgive

While the goal posts dry off in Nashville, the sobering reality lingers in Alabama that Kalen DeBoer just lost to Vanderbilt.

If misery loves company, well, then downtrodden Alabama fans can reach out to rival Tennessee, which suffered its own upset defeat at Arkansas.

Playoff projections became little more than guesswork after the wonkiest Saturday of the season. The schedule featured just one Top 25 matchup, but five top-15 teams went down, none more stunning than then-No. 2 Alabama losing 40-35 at Vanderbilt.

Here’s what’s still on my mind after Week 6:

Will Alabama’s loss to Vanderbilt define Kalen DeBoer’s tenure?

Alabama fans won’t forget that DeBoer suffered the Tide’s first loss to Vanderbilt in 40 years. They can forgive, though. How to earn forgiveness? Make the playoff this season. Better yet, win a playoff game.

Alabama fans worshipped Nick Saban even though he lost to Louisiana-Monroe in his first season. Of course, Saban delivered six national championships.

It might not take six titles for DeBoer to offset a loss to Vanderbilt, but this humiliating defeat ended his honeymoon. If this loss causes Alabama to miss the playoff, fan angst will follow DeBoer into the offseason.

Losing to Vanderbilt can either be a footnote buried on DeBoer’s resume, like the Louisiana-Monroe loss became for Saban, or it can be the inflection moment of a doomed tenure. That’s still to be decided.

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer gestures on the sidelines during his team’s game against Vanderbilt at FirstBank Stadium.

Most concerning is that the Vanderbilt loss didn’t present as a fluke. The football gods didn’t torture Alabama. Vanderbilt did. The Commodores simply outplayed the Tide.

Alabama mounted no pass rush, couldn’t get off the field on third downs and suffered from untimely turnovers and penalties.

Alabama’s offense is…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/opinion-why-alabama-fans-wont-191422867.html

Author : USA TODAY Sports

Publish date : 2024-10-07 19:14:22

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