Alabama LB says Kalen DeBoer fingerprints on everything now

Alabama’s returning senior captain linebacker, Deontae Lawson believes Kalen DeBoer has officially implemented his fingerprints on the entire Crimson Tide football program ahead of the 2025 season. Things appear to feel different this spring for DeBoer and the Alabama football program entering his second year at the helm as head coach. This feeling of optimism comes as DeBoer has broken into his own mold and began to infuse more of a sense identity over the Tide this offseason.

Lawson certainly feels that this is the case as he shedded light on the challenges DeBoer faced since first arriving in Tuscaloosa in an exclusive interview on Monday with ESPN senior writer, Chris Low. “Coach DeBoer had his battles last year, replacing a legend like Coach (Nick) Saban in the middle of the transfer portal, and it was hard to implement everything the way he wanted,” Lawson said. Lawson then on to express how the Alabama head coach has him and his Tide teammates more “locked in” this offseason with DeBoer’s fingerprints now firmly over the program since properly asserting himself to players last season.



“It was kind of hard for him to come in and be the bad cop or whatever last year,” Lawson said. “He’s still laid back and still wants the players to lead, but his fingerprints are on everything now — and he’s made it known that you better be locked in.” Lawson also went on to credit DeBoer for the level of poise and ownership he displayed in the midst of adversity last season when reflecting the Crimson Tide’s underwhelming 9-4 record.

“That’s not the standard here, and we all know it,” Lawson said. “But you go back and look at the way Coach DeBoer handled it. He wasn’t pointing the finger at anybody else.

He took it all on himself, and I think what you see now is everybody has bought in. We’re one.” With reports of a higher level of confidence and added sense of familiarity after seizing more control as the Alabama head coach this offseason, it will be interesting to see what new heights DeBoer can lead the Crimson Tide program too in the future.

This article first appeared on Touchdown Alabama Magazine and was syndicated with permission..