Questions about toughness and physicality have followed Kalen DeBoer and the Alabama Crimson Tide throughout his first two seasons in Tuscaloosa.
After an up-and-down 2025 campaign that still included a College Football Playoff appearance, an SEC Championship Game berth, and a playoff victory, DeBoer addressed those concerns directly during the 2026 SEC Spring Meetings.
And while the Alabama head coach acknowledged there is room for improvement, he made it clear he does not believe the Crimson Tide lacks toughness.
DeBoer Pushes Back on Physicality Narrative
When asked about increasing the physicality of Alabama’s football team entering Year 3, DeBoer pointed to execution issues more than any lack of toughness.
“Well, I think there’s times when we were extremely physical,” DeBoer said. “I think what you kind of get tied into is the run game probably, right? And there’s the inability at important times and consistently to be able to run the football.”
DeBoer emphasized that Alabama’s struggles in key rushing situations involved far more than simply being overpowered physically.
“And so, I think there’s more than physicality because I think there’s some very physical individuals on our football team,” he continued. “I think we have a team full of them, honestly. I think there’s an execution piece that has to take place.”
The third-year Alabama coach then detailed how execution responsibilities extend across the entire offense, from the offensive line to skill players, understanding assignments and identifying defenders correctly.
According to DeBoer, mental toughness and discipline are just as important as physical play.
Alabama’s Results Still Matter to DeBoer
DeBoer also pushed back against the idea that Alabama was somehow soft during the 2025 season by pointing to the team’s accomplishments.
“We made the playoffs,” DeBoer said. “We won seven of eight SEC football games, went to a conference championship, and won a playoff game.”
Those achievements, in DeBoer’s eyes, are evidence that Alabama already possesses a level of toughness necessary to compete at the highest level of college football.
“And so, those things don’t happen if you’re not a tough football team in some regard,” he added.
Still, DeBoer acknowledged the Crimson Tide ultimately fell short of its biggest goals, which has fueled offseason conversations about improving consistency, execution, and physicality.
Chemistry Becoming Major Focus for Alabama
One of the more notable takeaways from DeBoer’s comments was his emphasis on chemistry entering the 2026 season.
After significant roster turnover following the 2025 campaign, Alabama is once again working with plenty of new faces.
“We’re working on chemistry right now with so many new faces compared to what we had a year ago,” DeBoer said.
That chemistry-building process could prove especially important for an offense looking to establish a more reliable rushing attack this fall.
The Crimson Tide has added several new contributors through recruiting and the transfer portal over the last two cycles, and DeBoer appears focused on ensuring the team develops the cohesion necessary to play at a consistently high level in the SEC.
DeBoer Believes Alabama Has the Right Mindset
Despite outside criticism, DeBoer sounded confident in the mentality of his current roster.
“So, I see our guys work every single day, and so, I know they’re strong,” DeBoer said. “I know they want it. I know there’s a toughness about them. There’s a grit about them.”
He also defended last year’s team while expressing confidence that the 2026 group is building a similar identity.
“Last year’s guys, I’d go to battle with those guys because of who they were every single time I possibly could,” DeBoer said. “And we’re developing that with this team right now.”
As Alabama enters Year 3 under DeBoer, the debate surrounding toughness and physicality is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.
But based on his comments at the SEC Spring Meetings, the Crimson Tide head coach believes execution, not effort or grit, is the biggest factor standing between Alabama and competing for another national championship.
Kalen DeBoer Gets Honest About Alabama’s Physicality Concerns