Paul Finebaum Names Major SEC Coach Whose Personality May Be Working Against Him

The 2026 college football season is approaching, and several programs are aiming to take the next step. Among them is the Alabama Crimson Tide, which showed progress under second-year head coach Kalen DeBoer.

Alabama finished 11-4 in 2025, improving from a 9-4 record the previous season. The Crimson Tide reached the SEC Championship Game before falling to the Georgia Bulldogs. They also returned to the College Football Playoff, defeating the Oklahoma Sooners in the first round before losing to the eventual champion Indiana Hoosiers in the quarterfinals.

The season reflected steady progress, but also reinforced the high expectations surrounding the program.

Despite that improvement, questions remain about long-term fit and expectations in Tuscaloosa. On "The Paul Finebaum Show," Paul Finebaum addressed a caller’s hypothetical about whether Alabama should have hired Lane Kiffin instead of DeBoer following Nick Saban’s retirement after the 2023 season.

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Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen Deboer looks on before the 2026 Rose Bowl. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"I think they would have a little more patience with Lane Kiffin because there would be a familiarity, and I think that is also what works against DeBoer is his low-key Boy Scout personality," Finebaum said.

Finebaum’s comments highlight the unique expectations that come with leading Alabama. Kiffin previously served as Alabama’s offensive coordinator from 2014 to 2016, helping shape some of the program’s most explosive offenses. He later became head coach at Florida Atlantic Owls before taking over the Ole Miss Rebels, where he compiled a 55-19 record.

Kiffin led Ole Miss to an 11-1 regular season and the program’s first College Football Playoff appearance. However, he departed for the LSU Tigers job before the postseason, preventing him from coaching the team in its playoff run. The Rebels would ultimately make it to the semifinals, where they'd lose to the Miami Hurricanes.

The contrast between Kiffin and DeBoer extends beyond results to personality and perception. Kiffin’s confidence and familiarity with the program may have resonated more with Alabama’s fan base, while DeBoer’s more reserved approach has required time to gain acceptance.

Still, DeBoer’s early results suggest the program remains in a strong position. Back-to-back improvements and a return to the playoffs indicate that Alabama continues to operate at a high level. But the Crimson Tide are all about national championships, so making the playoff isn't good enough for the fan base.

The larger question is not whether Alabama can compete, but whether DeBoer can meet the program’s championship standard moving forward. In Tuscaloosa, success is often measured in titles, and anything less invites comparison.