Jumbo Package: DeBoer puts rumors to bed as Alabama preps for Oklahoma

Happy Monday, everyone. It’s playoff week, as Alabama gets set to face off against Oklahoma on Friday night. A head coach opening at Michigan has led to rumors about Kalen DeBoer leaving Tuscaloosa, but he put those to bed with a statement yesterday.

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer ended all speculation Sunday afternoon alluding to potential interest in the Michigan vacancy with the Crimson Tide set to Oklahoma in the first round of the College Football Playoff next week. DeBoer was considered among the best fits for the Wolverines soon after Sherrone Moore’s firing earlier this week.

DeBoer was scheduled to meet with media on Monday, but released a statement ahead of that appearance.

“My family and I are very happy in Tuscaloosa and remain extremely grateful for the support of President Mohler, Greg Byrne, the board and so many others,” DeBoer said through Yea Alabama, the Crimson Tide’s NIL collective. “We have an incredible opportunity in front of us, so my sole focus is on Alabama football and our preparations to play Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff. I have not spoken and have no interest in speaking with anyone else about any other job. I am fully committed to this program and look forward to continuing as the head football coach at the University of Alabama.”

In case you’re wondering about Kalen’s buyout should he choose to leave…

Alabama football coach Kalen DeBoer is reportedly high on Michigan’s list of candidates for its open job, after Sherrone Moore was fired for cause. The Wolverines could offer DeBoer a top-level player compensation situation between revenue sharing and NIL, and plenty of money in salary to boot.

DeBoer has made no public indication that he’s interested in the job. If he does opt to leave for Michigan or any other job, it will cost him.

According to DeBoer’s contract, obtained by AL.com via an open records request, he would be on the hook for a $4 million buyout. That’s a lot of money, but would not be a deterrent to a big-time college football program, which would likely cover the bill if one were to poach DeBoer.

Chris Low reports that DeBoer and Alabama are discussing an extension though nothing has been agreed upon, and Michael Casagrande believes that has been a factor in Kalen’s silence on the matter.

We’ll keep an eye on the Board of Trustees’ Compensation Committee the next time it meets. They’re the group charged with rubber-stamping any contracts or amendments to deals negotiated with Byrne and the administration.

It’s hard to imagine this process took four days and yielded nothing new.

DeBoer is represented by the puppet master of major college athletics, after all. He switched agents and hired Jimmy Sexton in his second year at Washington, and nobody plays the game like the Memphis Money Man himself.

You know, the guy who represents Saban and practically every other major SEC coach.

He knows better than anyone that schools facing a late-cycle coaching change lack the negotiating high ground. Michigan’s opening is a wild card thrown into an already historic round of coaching musical chairs.

The most desirable names have already been snapped up, and the dust had settled when Michigan canned Moore.

You have to imagine that Alabama will want to get a bigger buyout commitment from DeBoer as part of any extension agreement.

The players insist that the distractions haven’t shown up on the practice field.

Williams said DeBoer “hasn’t said much,” but that it matches the program motto in focusing on what is happening internally instead of what is being said outside of the Alabama football facilities.

“At the end of the day, he serves us 100%,” Williams said. “That’s our coach, so we’re going to play for him. External noise is external noise, so we’re going to focus on the internal.”

Alabama offensive lineman Wilkin Formby doesn’t see anything resembling truth to rumors pointing DeBoer to Michigan.

“He’s the same coach DeBoer to me,” Formby said. “We just had a great practice.”

Alabama linebacker Yhonzae Pierre said the DeBoer coaching rumors are “definitely not a distraction at all,” while linebacker Justin Jefferson said “we (are) all in Roll Tide.”

Let’s hope that’s the case.

Nate Sanchez of The Dallas Morning News has some keys to the matchup for you. Turnovers have to be atop that list.

Oklahoma has beaten Alabama in two straight matchups, and it’s not hard to figure out why. The common theme is the turnover battle. In the previous two games, Brent Venables’ defense has forced six total turnovers and the Sooners are plus-5 in the turnover battle.

Oklahoma’s defense is tied for 92nd with 13 takeaways on the season, but went on a heater late in the season with 10 of those 13 takeaways coming in its last four games. The Sooners’ four-game run of takeaways unsurpisingly led to lots of success, with those games resulting in wins at Tennessee, at Alabama and at home against Missouri and LSU.

Ironically enough, Alabama’s offense has been much better at taking care of the ball than Oklahoma’s offense this season, yet the Crimson Tide turned the ball over three times in November’s matchup with the Sooners. Alabama outgained Oklahoma 406-212 in that game, but the turnovers made Alabama’s dominance in the yardage department a moot point.

Takeaways are extremely volatile and difficult to rely on. Can Oklahoma carry its takeaway heater into the playoff?

The Sooners are in the playoffs because of timely turnovers forced down the stretch. If Alabama can take care of the ball, they should be in good shape. But, can they?

Oh, boy! “Disrespect!”

“We understand the disrespect,” Alabama receiver Ryan Williams said after practice Friday. “We’ve just got to handle it with a grain of salt and get ready to go play next Friday.”

An Alabama staffer saw it happening and shooed the Oklahoma players off. She told them to “be respectful.”

“We won that B—-,” wide receiver Jer’Michael Carter said in response.

Alabama linebacker Justin Jefferson said Friday if he was out there when it happened, “that still wouldn’t be going on.”

“That type of disrespect will be addressed on the field,” Jefferson said Friday. “We’ve got to go give it to them. We’ve got to take the ball off them and bring it home for Alabama.”

Imagine being upset over players taking a photo in the middle of an iconic field where they just won a memorable game.

Alabama added a juco cornerback to the 2026 class.

Former Northridge High School and Itawamba Community College cornerback Nick Sherman committed to the Crimson Tide Sunday, Dec. 14.

Sherman, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound Tuscaloosa native, joins five-star cornerback Jorden Edmonds and four star Zyan Gibson in Alabama‘s 2026 recruiting class.

Kalen clearly has an affinity for taller corners.

Last, check out what Josh Jacobs did on this wheel route.

Nobody tell him he’s just a running back.

That’s about it for today. Have a great week.

Roll Tide.