"He could not care less about it": Josh Pate claims despite following Nick Saban, Kalen DeBoer took over Alabama without fear

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer took over for legendary head coach Nick Saban last season. Saban coached the Crimson Tide from 2007 to 2023, winning six national championships with the team. As a result, it will be challenging for DeBoer to have the same success as his predecessor.

However, it does not seem like DeBoer is worried about living up to the standard Saban set. He is content to forge his own legacy. On Thursday, Josh Pate posted a new video to his YouTube channel, speaking about DeBoer and how he feels about following Saban (Timestamp 1:15).

"The one thing I've picked up on being around Kalen DeBoer is, the whole you don't want to take over for a legend thing is lost on him. He's not just coach speaking you when he says that stuff, he could not care less about it. What he cared about is, do I have the tools? Will I be given the tools? As long as I'm given the tools, I couldn't care less who I'm following."

"Whether it's a dumpster fire or whether it was a dynasty. I'll forge my own legacy. He really feels that way. I think those fans respect that about him."

While Nick Saban has one of the most impressive legacies as a college football head coach, Kalen DeBoer is not someone without experience. He led the Washington Huskies to the national championship game in 2023, losing to Michigan. However, in his first season at Alabama, the Crimson Tide had their first sub-10 win season since 2007, finishing 9-4.

Josh Pate discusses the challenges for Kalen DeBoer and Alabama next season

After discussing how Kalen DeBoer feels about following Nick Saban in Alabama, he started to speak about what to expect from the Crimson Tide next season. He admitted that there are some question marks for the program.

"Ultimately, this year, you're wondering things about them. Will they be able to run the ball like they did? Of course the QB question is still there. If he is what we think he is as an offensive head coach. If Ryan Grubb is what we think he is as coordinator, that offensive profile will be fine. They'll be a 10+ win team and they'll be in the SEC race."

While Pate says those things will make Alabama fans happy, it is asking a lot. There is no doubt that there are many question marks around Alabama's roster heading into next season, so it could be challenging for the team to qualify for the college football playoff again.