Kalen DeBoer Oct 5, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer reacts after a touchdown against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the first half at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images

After Alabama’s stunning loss to Vanderbilt, it seems like everyone’s gotten a turn to criticize the Crimson Tide. That includes ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who had choice words for Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer.

DeBoer’s Tide lost to Commodores, a shocking loss that sent shockwaves throughout college football. Alabama rarely loses to Vanderbilt, and the Commodores have rarely enjoyed even half the success that Alabama typically basks in. So it was a true mind-bender of an upset.

Some have viewed it as unacceptable. Smith likely resides in that camp after his rant on DeBoer Monday morning.

“Kalen DeBoer, it’s fair to say this,” Smith said on First Take via On3. “You won 90 percent of your games as a head coach at four different institutions, including winning two NAIA titles. You were in the national championship game. You were the back-to-back Pac-12 Coach of the Year when you were at Washington, as well.

“You are no Nick Saban,” Smith emphatically declared. “You are no Nick Saban”

Smith called the loss “disgraceful” and “embarrassing” and accused DeBoer of being too cocky after the Tide’s win over Georgia. It’s an animated but unsurprising response by Smith. But when you’re Alabama, and you don’t beat Vanderbilt, you have to eat it and open yourself up to this criticism.

[On3]

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About Chris Novak

Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022