Alabama football added a walk-on tight end in his final season of collegiate eligibility, one who expected to make an impact upon arrival.

The Alabama football standard was clear in the Nick Saban era. A year after Saban retired, how does it look under Kalen DeBoer?

Alabama head football coach Kalen DeBoer and his former right-hand man at Washington, Ryan Grubb, could reunite in Tuscaloosa. It'll just be a bit awkward given how Grubb left the Crimson Tide last year.

Alabama starts the 2025 season on Saturday, Aug. 30, at Florida State. The Tide also host Wisconsin during nonconference play before getting their SEC season underway. It’ll be important for DeBoer to get off to a hot start in those games to keep the heat off of him.

Grubb spent his entire career as a college assistant before coming to the Seahawks, and his most notable run included time at Fresno State and Washington under Kalen DeBoer. With DeBoer now the head coach at Alabama, fans quickly made the call for the Crimson Tide head coach to bring Grubb over to Tuscaloosa.

Let’s take a look at answering that question by handing out some grades for Alabama football in year No. 1 under head coach Kalen DeBoer.

Jalen Milroe and Tyler Booker are confident in the direction the program is heading under the leadership of DeBoer.

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer isn't on the "hot seat" entering the 2025 college football season, though that could quickly change if things trend south in Tuscaloosa next fall. DeBoer had a fairly decent debut season at Alabama by most standards.

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer stands to lose a lot if the Crimson Tide were to miss the College Football Playoff again in 2025.

Chuck Morrell, a former Washington co-defensive coordinator, worked closely with the Crimson Tide linebackers this season as an analyst.