"Sloppy, undisciplined": Kalen DeBoer's Alabama receives a scathing review from CFB analyst after brutal loss to Tennessee

Kalen DeBoer and the Alabama Crimson Tide find themselves in unfamiliar territory following a 24-17 loss to No. 10 Tennessee Volunteers in week 8. This marks the Tide's second defeat in three games, a disappointing situation given the program's usual dominance.

It is the first time Alabama has recorded two regular-season losses this late in the season since Nick Saban's inaugural year in 2007.

ESPN analyst Tom Luginbill attributes Alabama's struggles to their own shortcomings. Appearing on “The Next Round,” he said:

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"Alabama is a sloppy, undisciplined football team that has the good fortune of having a collection of really, really good athletes that allows them to overcome most of what most teams couldn’t so they can be in the game at the end of the 4th quarter."

Despite the setbacks, all hope for Alabama’s playoff chances is not lost. With the new 12-team playoff format, even a two- or three-loss team could make the cut. However, Alabama no longer controls its path.

They’ll need help from other losing teams to reach the SEC championship, making the road to Atlanta steeper than ever.

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Nick Saban gives no-nonsense take on Kalen DeBoer's Alabama

The former Alabama coach was critical when discussing DeBoer's Alabama team on ESPN’s "College GameDay." While the first-year coach tries to keep the Crimson Tide’s championship mentality intact, Saban had some blunt advice.

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"For Alabama, you better get off the field on third down," Saban stated.

Alabama has been struggling in this area for weeks, and Saban was crystal clear: if they don’t get it together, Tennessee could take advantage. That’s exactly what the Vols did.

Kalen DeBoer and Co. suffered a 24-17 road defeat and now stand 5-2 in the 2024 college football season, with their national championship hopes all but diminished.

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"I don't question the effort," DeBoer said after the defeat in Knoxville.

He even praised his team's hard work and energy in practice. However, he acknowledged the Tide’s inability to mesh offense and defense, a critical factor holding them back from playing great team football.

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“There's times when we got to be able to separate ourselves and have that killer instinct,” he said,

It looks like Alabama needs to listen to one of the best coaches in college football: Execution needs to improve—and fast.

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