Kalen DeBoer Sparks Controversy with Bizarre NIL Complaint—Auburn Reporter Fires Back
Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer sent shockwaves through the college football world on Thursday with a head-scratching claim: The Crimson Tide is struggling in recruiting because NIL has created an uneven playing field.
On3’s Justin Hokanson wasted no time delivering a scathing, sarcastic response.
“You see, Alabama just needs to get back on a balanced playing field and escape this terrible highest-bidder situation that’s been so devastating to their recruiting efforts,” Hokanson quipped.
DeBoer made it clear he longs for the “good old days” before NIL changed the landscape.
“Having a more balanced playing field helps our situation. It allows us to get back to where it was just a few years ago where recruiting is real recruiting, not just about who’s putting in the highest bid,” DeBoer said via On3.
It’s no surprise DeBoer wants to rewind time. His first Alabama squad was widely viewed as far from the program’s usual dominant standard.
“The CFP argument was ridiculous because anyone who watched Alabama this season knew this wasn’t the Alabama of old,” The Athletic’s Chris Vannini noted.
“The ceiling was high, but the floor was low. Defending this version of Alabama at the expense of other programs having great seasons was a bad look and now, here we are.”
DeBoer’s desire to replicate Nick Saban’s recruiting dominance is understandable. The problem? Saban’s success wasn’t built solely on elite scouting it was also about the powerhouse reputation and influence he cultivated over years.
Unlike Saban, DeBoer is still an outsider in the South, while rivals like Kirby Smart, Lane Kiffin, and Hugh Freeze have had years Smart, nearly a decade to entrench themselves.
If DeBoer wants to reclaim Alabama’s recruiting dominance, he’ll need to put in the work, not pine for a past that isn’t coming back.
