It's not confirmed if Kalen DeBoer was wearing his infamous 'Black Hoodie of Death,' as so dubbed by Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz among others, but Alabama's second-year head coach seemingly put the death knell into those persistent whispers about Deboer's potential candidacy for the opening atop Michigan's scandal-ridden football program.
On Sunday, DeBoer issued a statement via Yea Alabama on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, the "Official Fan Experience of Alabama Athletics." The group also works intrinsically with Alabama's Name, Image and Likeness efforts.
Per the statement, DeBoer said the following:
"My family and I are very happy in Tuscaloosa (Alabama) and remain extremely grateful for the support of President (Dr. Peter J.) Mohler, (athletics director) Greg Byrne, the Board (of Trustees) and so many others. We have an incredible opportunity in front of us, so my sole focus is on Alabama football and our preparations to play Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff."
The SEC runner-up Tide (9-3), seeded No. 9 in the 12-team CFP, visit the No. 8-seeded Sooners Friday night in a regular-season rematch of Oklahoma's three-point in at Alabama. The Tide presently are less than 3-point favorites per Las Vegas oddsmakers.
Byrne chimed in atop the social media post on the platform X with his own statement.
"We are proud to have Coach DeBoer leading our football program at The University of Alabama," Byrne said. "He is an incredible coach and does an excellent job with the development of our student-athletes, both on and off the field. Just as he is committed to this team, we are committed to him, and we look forward to taking the field Friday in the first round of the College Football Playoff."
DeBoer continued:
"I have not spoken and have no interest in speaking with anyone else about any other job. I am fully committed to this program and look forward to continuing as the head football coach at the University of Alabama."
DeBoer's Alabama program missed the 2024 CFP in his first year as heir apparent to the retired Nick Saban. The Tide then were blown out in their bowl game by Michigan.
Things started off ominously in 2025 when Alabama was routed on the road at Florida State to open the season. The Tide regained its footing and won at Georgia in a late-September clash that spurred them to a spot in the SEC Championship.
Alabama was essentially non-competitive in its 28-7 SEC title-game loss but was not dropped a spot in the final CFP Top 25.
Still, DeBoer was persistently seen as a target in Penn State's lengthy, 50-plus day search that only culminated last weekend when Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell accepted the job. Numerous sources told FootballScoop during the Penn State search that Nittany Lions leaders made repeated attempts to engage DeBoer about the program's vacancy that was opened up by the midseason firing of James Franklin.
And fan unrest has been prominent in DeBoer's two seasons atop the Tide, despite several significant wins. Unless Alabama runs the table in the upcoming CFP, the program will have its first back-to-back seasons of four or more losses since 2006-07, years that spanned the end of the Mike Shula era and the onset of Saban's reign of dominance.
