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For some Alabama fans, it's national championship or bust in Year 3 under head coach Kalen DeBoer. But the Crimson Tide likely won't be picked to win the SEC when the media's preseason poll comes out later this week. Don't expect Alabama to be a trendy pick for the national title either.
NIL and the transfer portal have completely changed the way rosters are constucted in college football. There are a lot of position groups that still have things to figure out as Alabama soon enters fall camp. Still, the Tide has a roster capable of winning a national title.
It's the time of year where optimism is high and every team is still undefeated. Here are five reasons why Alabama can exceed national expectations this season:
1. Kalen DeBoer and Ryan Grubb have proven success with quarterbacks
The biggest question surrounding the Crimson Tide heading into fall camp is who will be the starting quarterback? Regardless of whether it is Austin Mack or Keelon Russell who wins the job, DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb have a strong track record with quarterbacks.
Mack is now in his fourth season working with DeBoer, dating back to his days at Washington. He believed in the coaches enough to follow them across the country, and the coaches believe in him. Russell has the raw talent that shot him up the recruiting rankings to become one of the top prospects in the 2025 class.
DeBoer and Grubb helped develop Michael Penix Jr. into a Heisman finalist and first-round draft pick at Washington in 2023. The coaches worked with Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener in 2021 to a 4,000-yard season. They can do similar things with Mack or Russell. If Alabama has elite quarterback play this season, the Tide will be one of the favorites to win a national title.
2. Alabama has one of the most experienced DB rooms in the country
There will be several positions still battling it out throughout fall camp, but there aren't many question marks in the secondary. Alabama arguably has the best safety duo in the country in Bray Hubbard and Keon Sabb. Both have a ton of experience playing at the highest levels of college football. Ivan Taylor and Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. serve as valuable backups. Five-star freshman Jireh Edwards was one of the top safeties in his class but could have a hard time seeing the field with all the experience ahead of him on the depth chart.
Alabama brings back two juniors at Husky in Zay Mincey and Red Morgan who both have three years in Kane Wommack's system. The Tide has started freshmen at cornerback the last two years in Zabien Brown (2024) and Dijon Lee Jr. (2025) and both are back for another season. Alabama also brought in Mercer transfer Carmelo O'Neal from the portal to help out at the position.
Tide fans should feel secure in the back end of the defense in defending teams with strong passing attacks.
3. Alabama’s toughest SEC games are at home
Winning in Tuscaloosa has been a very difficult task for opponents recently. Over the last six seasons in the 2020s, Alabama has only lost two home games inside Bryant-Denny Stadium (Texas in 2023 and Oklahoma in 2025.)
There are two teams on the Tide's 2026 schedule coming off a College Football Playoff run (Georgia and Texas A&M) and both of those games will be at home for Alabama. It has already been announced that the Georgia game will be played at night. It's very likely the matchup with Texas A&M will be played under the lights as well.
That doesn't mean there aren't tough games on the road because there are. However, the two best teams on the schedule will be in front of a hostile Bryant-Denny crowd.
4. New OL coach and transfers can change physicality up front
DeBoer knew Alabama had to be better on the offensive line this season. The Crimson Tide finished 125th in the nation in rushing offense last season and struggled to find any sort of consistency in the run game.
So Alabama made some major changes, including a new offensive line coach in Adrian Klemm, who runs practice more like the NFL according to the players. The staff also brought in six different offensive lineman from the transfer portal. Some of those transfers, like Racin Delgatty at center, will be starters right away while others are in contention for the starting job at both tackle positions.
Poor offensive line play was one of Alabama's biggest weaknesses last season. The only returning starter is sophomore Michael Carroll, and he is expected to move positions from right tackle to right guard. So many new starters on the offensive line will take some time to gel, but new faces all around can change things completely.
5. Ryan Coleman-Williams is capable of being a top-10 player in college football
Retaining Ryan Coleman-Williams was the first major recruiting win for DeBoer and his staff after taking over for Nick Saban. The wide receiver made himself a household name with a two-touchdown, 177-yard performance against Georgia four games into his college career in 2024.
Coleman-Williams saw some ups and downs during his sophomore season and has struggled with dropped balls at times, but he's also shown that he's capable of being one of most dynamic and exciting players in college football. With a young and inexperienced receiver room, especially with the injury to NC State transfer Noah Rogers, Coleman-Williams will be counted as the top guy.
This will likely be his last season with the Crimson Tide before heading off to the NFL, and he has the chance to make his best year his last. Having a weapon like Coleman-Williams will be a big boost to whichever quarterback wins the starting job.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/alabama as Five Reasons to Believe Alabama Can Exceed Expectations this Season.
