
Alabama began its transition out of the Nick Saban era last year, hiring former Washington coach Kalen DeBoer. The new Crimson Tide coach maintained a number of key players from Saban's final team, headlined by quarterback Jalen Milroe, but struggled in his first season (by Alabama standards) going 9–4 (5–3), missing the College Football Playoff and losing to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
DeBoer will have the chance to continue building the team in his own image, bringing in his longtime offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb in 2025. After a year coaching the Seattle Seahawks, Grubb takes over an offense that will have a new signal caller, with Milroe's departure for the NFL.