Paul Finebaum boldly claims Alabama's dynasty is "over" following Kalen DeBoer's takeover of Nick Saban's team
Former Washington Huskies coach Kalen DeBoer was the obvious choice for many to replace Nick Saban as his successor due to his showcase of winning abilities and impressive resume before joining the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Under Saban, Alabama produced four Heisman Trophy winners, nine SEC titles and six national championships, making it among the best programs in college football history.
However, analyst Paul Finebaum believes the Alabama dynasty is now over since Kalen DeBoer has taken over the program, but it's not because of the new coach. He believes it has been over since before Saban even announced his retirement.
“We’ve seen Georgia win twice and Michigan win once since Alabama last won a national championship. So, yes, I would declare the dynasty done. It was done before Saban left. It’s really done now that [Kalen] DeBoer is there," Finebaum said.
"I don’t think this team is good enough. Nick Saban himself told you a couple weeks ago one of their deficiencies is in the defensive secondary. That’s on him, that’s what he used to coach, and he lost his best player, or Kalen DeBoer did, to Ohio State in Caleb Downs.
“They lost two or three incredible players and I think [that] could be the difference between making the playoffs and winning the playoffs. Ultimately, Kalen DeBoer is good enough to win at all, but not this year," he added.
Kadyn Proctor reflects on decision to leave Kalen DeBoer's Alabama
When Nick Saban announced his retirement, Alabama lost many of its star players, including Caleb Downs to Ohio State, Isaiah Bond and Amari Niblack to Texas and Kadyn Proctor to Iowa, among others.
While the rest of the players stuck with their decision, the Alabama OT quickly realized that the Crimson Tide was the place for him and wanted to return to Tuscaloosa.
Proctor quickly accepted the fact that it wouldn't be an easy road to getting his spot back and did not shy away from apologizing and working hard for it (via AL.com):
“I had apologized,” Proctor said. “Because I knew that when he first came here, his first week here, first day, a couple days, I really wasn’t giving him a chance.
“You can’t come back to a place and have a spot back,” Proctor said. “Everybody’s got to work for a spot, so that’s how I came into it. I knew I wasn’t going to get it at first," he added.
It will be interesting to see how Kalen DeBoer will carry forward Alabama's legacy that Nick Saban sustained for 17 years.
Do you agree with Paul Finebaum and believe that Alabama's dynasty is over? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.