DeBoer 'not really alarmed' with Tide transfers, fan concern; explains confidence

Alabama football has undergone a culture shock in the last week as the torch passed from Nick Saban to Kalen DeBoer. Multiple coaches and players have flocked to rivals, championship odds have plummeted and fans, no longer at the mountaintop of the sport for the first time in nearly two decades, haven’t had the easiest adjustment.

Speaking on “The Paul Finebaum Show” for the first time since his hire on Jan. 12, DeBoer was asked to ease public concerns about the upheaval going on at the Mal M. Moore Athletic Facility.

“I think it’s just the world we live in right now. When you have change and transition, there’s gonna be change with everything that’s around the program. A lot of these programs are going through changes without transition of head coaches. I just look at it, naturally, you expect that this is going to happen to some extent,” DeBoer said. “We’ll get the right people in the program, whether it’s staff, whether it’s players. And this is a place that has got the best facilities, the best resources in the entire country, and we are able to support the great players that come in here with all of that.

“I think that our guys, and I would tell this to fans as well, to be excited about the staff we’re bringing in and what we’re gonna be capable of doing. I’m really not alarmed at all.”

Nine scholarship players have entered the portal since Saban retired on Jan. 10, most notably Caleb Downs and Kadyn Proctor. Two midyear enrollees are reportedly leaving as well, with five-star quarterback Julian Sayin leaving on Thursday. Thirty names overall have signaled an intent to transfer dating back to December. Ryan Williams, a five-star 2024 prospect who decommited last week, is visiting campus this weekend, per social media.

But to DeBoer, the “whirlwind” start in Tuscaloosa hasn’t even been his worst start at a program. That would’ve been when he took over Washington two years ago. Twenty players left the program that offseason, per 247Sports while DeBoer brought in nine fresh faces, including Michael Penix Jr.

“This is a much better situation than even that one was with the number of players leaving. You just stay the course. You roll up your sleeves like I said earlier. There’s such a great group of leaders here in this program that want to uphold the standard of Alabama football and they are sticking together. We want those guys that want to be here. They’re working through all the noise that’s out there. Just couldn’t be more proud of them sticking together, them being intentional in communicating with themselves and trying to keep it tight, keep it together.

DeBoer said he’s “getting close” to compiling his coaching staff. Reports have trickled in through the week as DeBoer searched. Some Alabama coaches have teased they won’t be retained, as Freddie Roach and Robert Gillespie were. The lone hire to confirm his appointment has been South Alabama’s Kane Wommack, who is a friend of DeBoer’s and will be the defensive coordinator.

Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at NAlvarez@al.com.