It simply wasn’t Kalen DeBoer nor Alabama Crimson Tide’s night. The Florida State Seminoles rag-dolled them in the opening week of college football, and offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn found the perfect chance to take a shot at the program he despises the most.
If DeBoer and Bama wanted to wipe the slate clean after the 2024 NCAA season, then the Crimson Tide did anything but that. Alabama underperformed tremendously in the first test of the new campaign, and question marks are floating incessantly in Tuscaloosa.
Malzahn and the Seminoles had a plan for when the Tide walked into the Doak. And they pulled it off to perfection. All the talk in the summer paid off as Thomas Castellanos and Florida State blew Alabama out of the water in Tallahassee.
Now, it was Malzahn’s time to rub salt in the wounds, and he did so through social media. “Felt like old times tonight!!” Gus Malzahn wrote on his X, formerly Twitter, account.
Head coach Kalen DeBoer of the Alabama Crimson Tide against the Georgia Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Runs deep
It’s no secret Malzahn is a top public enemy in Alabama, and the Crimson Tide are far from a liked program for the offensive coordinator in the Sunshine State. Malzahn may have made his debut at his job position in ‘Tally’, but he’s not new to facing Bama.
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Malzahn spent eight seasons as head coach for the Auburn Tigers in the NCAA. During that span, his grudge for the Crimson Tide only grew. As head coach in Auburn, Malzahn had a 3-5 record against Alabama.
Moreover, he watched as the school in Tuscaloosa hoisted college football‘s national championship three times. It won’t be enough to close the wounds, but Saturday’s dominant showing against the Tide could be just what the doctor ordered for Malzahn.
Panic button
Fans in Tuscaloosa can’t help but feel bad about how fast times have changed for the Crimson Tide. Not so long ago, the program was a juggernaut and the team to beat in college football. Now, it seems to have missed its identity.
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Kalen DeBoer isn’t on the hot seat, but it’s not getting any cooler either. Embarrassing losses—like the one to Florida State—aren’t doing him any favors. It’s time to turn the page or burn the books entirely. The Tide must change course, or the pressure in Alabama will become unfathomable.
