Paul Finebaum Names Major College Football Coach He's Still 'Hopeful' For

The Alabama Crimson Tide are arguably the biggest brand in college football. Due to their success for decades, the Crimson Tide have a high standard that their coaches have to live up to.

Alabama's Expectations Were Built by Bear Bryant and Nick Saban

That standard was set by Bear Bryant and, more recently, Nick Saban. Both are arguably considered the two best coaches in the history of the sport. Saban's dominant run went from 2007 to 2023. He won six national championships during that period but unexpectedly decided to retire following the 2023 season. He has since become an analyst on ESPN's flagship college football show, "College GameDay."

Saban was replaced by Washington Huskies head coach Kalen DeBoer, who just led the team to back-to-back double-digit win seasons, including a 14-1 season in 2023 that saw the Huskies fall in the national championship game.

Since DeBoer took over, his tenure has been up and down. In his first year, he went 9-4, but the team had three losses against teams that finished with five or more losses. He followed that up with an 11-4 season.

Alabama made the SEC Championship Game and the College Football Playoff. Even still, there are some fans who question whether DeBoer is the right guy to lead the program forward.

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer watches the quarterbacks and running backs. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Kalen DeBoer Still Has to Prove He Can Meet Alabama's Standard

ESPN's Paul Finebaum said on "The Paul Finebaum Show" that he's heard some of these criticisms before, and it usually doesn't end well for the coach. However, he's still hopeful that DeBoer can turn it around.

"I've heard this before," Finebaum said. "It usually portends problems. But the difference that I'd argue that I'm still somewhat hopeful about DeBoer is unlike some of these coaches that Alabama has dealt with and the fans felt the same way, DeBoer is on an elite level of coach. All you can do is look at his record. He's won national championships at different divisions."

DeBoer's Track Record Gives Alabama Season for Optimism

DeBoer's biggest challenge is not proving he can win football games. He has already done that everywhere he has coached. The challenge is proving he can win at Alabama, where success is measured by championships rather than playoff appearances.

The Crimson Tide have shown progress under DeBoer, but the standard in Tuscaloosa remains the same. Fans are not asking whether Alabama can compete for the SEC championship or make the College Football Playoff. They want to know if DeBoer can finish the job and bring another national championship to Tuscaloosa.

If he can do that, the doubts surrounding his tenure will quickly disappear. If he cannot, the comparisons to Saban will continue to create an impossible standard to overcome.

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