Why Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer Is Sparking Unbelievable Comparisons to Curt Cignetti

Right out of the gate in the 2025 college football season, Alabama Crimson Tide supporters found themselves staring down a storm of frustration with head coach Kalen DeBoer. After enduring a shocking season-opening defeat at the hands of Florida State—a bitter follow-up to a lackluster 2024 that culminated in a flat loss to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl—the patience of the faithful was wearing thin. Calls for DeBoer’s dismissal echoed louder than usual, especially given the lofty standards set by the legendary Nick Saban over the years. Yet, just when it seemed the ship was sinking, the Tide embarked on an impressive eight-game winning streak, including four triumphs over ranked SEC foes, briefly restoring hope in Tuscaloosa. Still, heavy losses to Georgia in the SEC Championship and Indiana in the Rose Bowl reignited doubts about whether DeBoer is truly the right fit to steer Alabama back to glory. Adding fuel to the fire, The Athletic’s Seth Emerson ranked Alabama 12th in SEC “vibes” and intriguingly compared DeBoer to Indiana’s Curt Cignetti—a comparison that stirs debate given their differing trajectories and coaching styles. It’s a perplexing crossroads for Alabama football, with The Vibes hanging in the balance. LEARN MORE

Early on in the 2025 college football season, Alabama Crimson Tide fans had already had enough of Kalen DeBoer.

Alabama had suffered an embarrassing season-opening loss to Florida State, which followed an uncharacteristically rough 2024 campaign that ended in a lifeless loss to Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

Many were already calling for DeBoer’s job, especially after being heavily spoiled by Nick Saban for so many years.

But then, the Crimson Tide reeled off eight straight wins (including four victories against ranked SEC opponents), allowing DeBoer to get back into the good graces of the Tuscaloosa faithful.

However, blowout losses to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game and then Indiana in the Rose Bowl still have many wondering if DeBoer is the right man for the job.

That includes Seth Emerson of The Athletic, who ranked Alabama a concerning 12th in his SEC “vibes” rankings … but then he likened DeBoer to Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti.

Indiana Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti. Credit:&nbsp;Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images. — Indiana Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti. Credit: Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.

“It’s possible that Alabama has one of the best coaches in college football. The question is whether it has the right coach for Alabama,” Emerson wrote. “Kalen DeBoer is Cignetti Lite, a winner wherever he’s been, and while he’s not winning at Nick Saban levels, he did win more in his second year than his first year. The third year doesn’t strike as make-or-break for DeBoer. More like pretty important for The Vibes.”

Cignetti spent two seasons at James Madison before taking the Indiana job in 2024, going 19-4 with the Dukes. He then led the Hoosiers to a CFP appearance during his debut campaign and followed that up with a national championship this season.

Not quite the same trajectory as DeBoer, who did lead Washington to a National Championship Game during his final season with the Huskies in 2023, but has not experienced near the same level of success at Alabama.

Additionally, the coaching styles of DeBoer and Cignetti, the latter of whom is really a lot more like Saban, couldn’t be any more different. We didn’t even see Cignetti crack a smile until after the championship game had concluded.

DeBoer is definitely a good coach. There is no question about that. But the comparison to Cignetti certainly seems a bit misguided.

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