Kalen DeBoer demands elite production and execution, ushering in new energy and a veteran coach to revitalize Alabama's offensive line.
Change at Alabama football is never random, and it’s never made lightly, especially when it involves the offensive line.
Earlier this month, Alabama Crimson Tide made the decision to part ways with offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic after two seasons. This week, head coach Kalen DeBoer pulled back the curtain on why that decision was made and what it means moving forward.
While speaking during Senior Bowl practices, DeBoer didn’t dance around the issue.
He was direct.
Honest.
And very Alabama about it.
“It’s about production, and we want to, we know we got to be better there,” DeBoer said. “Mindset and just execution, the details of the fundamentals, the guys need. So a lot of new faces that are going to be in that room. So kind of a fresh start there.”
That quote tells you everything you need to know. At Alabama, effort alone isn’t enough. Want-to isn’t enough. Production matters. Execution matters. And when the fundamentals slip, especially in the trenches, it impacts the entire offense. The offensive line is the engine of the team, and when that engine sputters, nothing else runs the way it should.
DeBoer also made it clear that this wasn’t a snap decision.
It was something that became clearer as time went on and evaluations continued.
“It became apparent to me what direction I was probably looking to go to as the week went on,” DeBoer said about the Tide moving on from Kapilovic.
That’s not panic.
That’s leadership.
That’s a head coach assessing his program in real time and making the tough calls needed to move Alabama football forward. With significant turnover expected along the offensive line, DeBoer felt the moment was right for a full reset, not just new players, but new energy and a new voice.
That reset officially begins with the hiring of Adrian Klemm, a veteran offensive line coach with experience at the college and NFL levels, including stops at SMU Mustangs, UCLA Bruins, and Oregon Ducks, along with time in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots.
The message from DeBoer is crystal clear: Alabama isn’t lowering its standards.
Not now.
Not ever.
This move is about restoring physicality, discipline, and edge up front, and making sure the Crimson Tide offensive line once again sets the tone, instead of chasing it.
That’s Alabama football.
And that’s the standard.