Paul Finebaum Sends Clear Message About Major SEC Coach’s Future Despite Hot Seat Rumors

SEC Nation analyst Paul Finebaum looks on prior to the game. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

The Alabama Crimson Tide and head coach Kalen DeBoer are headed into a big year.

While the 2025 season was a year of improvement, with DeBoer leading Alabama back to the College Football Playoff, it wasn't good enough for fans to fully embrace him as their head coach. For that to happen, he's going to have to meet the loft expectations set by the legendary coaches before him.

Alabama's Expectations Are High

That means he's going to have to take Alabama back to the top of the college football world for the first time since 2020. Going 9-4 in Year 1 isn't good enough. Going 11-4 in Year 2 is progress, but still not good enough. Anything short of winning the national championship isn't good enough.

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer calls a play. | David Leong-Imagn Images

Kalen DeBoer's Contract Offers Security

Despite fans being on the fence with DeBoer, the administration is not. They showed their support by signing him to a seven-year extension valued at $87.5 million this offseason.

The contract also states that the Crimson Tide would be responsible for paying approximately 90% of the remaining salary if the university chose to dismiss him without cause.

ESPN's Paul Finebaum discussed the fan frustration on his show, "The Paul Finebaum Show." He sent a clear message to the fans about DeBoer's future.

"I don't mean to harp on something that I'm familiar with here, just think about what this guy said," Finebaum said.

"Alabama fan since he was a kid. He's 61 years old. That means he caught the end of Bryant... because he doesn't believe Kalen DeBoer can adapt to Alabama football, he refuses to watch an Alabama game?... I've criticized DeBoer like anybody. But he was just given a contract extension. It's about $70 million to fire him... It's not the same as Saban, but nobody is the same as Saban."

Pressure Still Defines His Tenure

While the contract makes it more difficult to fire him, it's not impossible. Jimbo Fisher was paid more to exit Texas A&M, but it does show a commitment to him. Still, if the fan base never fully embraces him, we've seen how that can impact an administration's decision.

Take Brian Kelly at LSU, for example. The fans never embraced him, despite having two double-digit-win seasons, a nine-win season and an SEC Championship Game appearance in his first three seasons. But because the fans didn't embrace him, as soon as things started rough in Year 4, LSU elected to fire him.

If DeBoer doesn't deliver a true title-contending season soon, the extension will matter far less than the standard he's trying to uphold in Tuscaloosa, and at Alabama, that standard has never been flexible.