Things didn’t go Alabama’s way for the second straight week as the Crimson Tide walked into Neyland Stadium on Saturday to play No. 14 Tennessee and walked out with a 26-10 loss.
Alabama hasn’t seemed to find its footing under head coach Kalen DeBoer, now in his third year with the Crimson Tide, and some fans are already calling for his job. But what would DeBoer’s buyout be if Alabama decided to make a change after the season?
What is DeBoer’s Buyout?
Alabama signed DeBoer to a new contract in late April: a seven-year deal that pays him an average of $12.5 million per season. However, the buyout isn’t high.
ESPN’s Mark Schlabach noted that the new contract includes a $10 million buyout through Jan. 31, 2027, then decreases by $2 million after each of the next two years.
“The new agreement includes a buyout of $10 million through Jan. 31, 2027. The buyout decreases by $2 million after each of the next two years,” Schlabach wrote on April 22.
Would Alabama Fire DeBoer After the Season?
DeBoer will likely continue coaching Alabama next season, despite the program not appearing to head in the right direction.
Since Alabama hired DeBoer to start the 2024 season, the Crimson Tide have performed okay. They went 9-3 in DeBoer’s first year and almost made the playoffs. Last season, they improved to 10-3, lost the SEC title game to Georgia, then defeated Oklahoma in the playoffs before losing to Indiana in the quarterfinals.
College football is quite different now than when Nick Saban won Alabama six titles from 2009 to 2020. It’s much harder to build a roster because of the transfer portal and the implications of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) agreements. Additionally, more playoff games can lead to more postseason losses for schools.
The Crimson Tide will likely keep DeBoer as head coach for another season or two. With a possible 24-team playoff agreement taking effect in the 2027 season, Alabama will have a decent chance of making the playoffs under DeBoer for the foreseeable future.
Alabama returns to action against Texas A&M next week, then takes a bye before facing LSU in a game with playoff implications, as both teams already have two losses.
How Much Would Alabama Owe Kalen DeBoer If Fired After Season?