In college football, the weight of tradition and expectation can sometimes be heavier than the players’ shoulder pads. Few programs embody this better than Alabama, whose dominance under Nick Saban transformed the Crimson Tide into a dynasty over the last decade and a half. But in the post-Saban era, every stumble feels magnified, and the 31-17 loss to unranked Florida State in the 2025 season opener is one of those rare blows that shakes the college football landscape. For Alabama fans, opponents, and analysts, this wasn’t just a loss—it was a statement game about what the Tide are, and perhaps more importantly, what they aren’t anymore. And NFL veteran turned ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky did not hold back in his assessment of the situation. On Get Up, Orlovsky offered a scathing critique that cut deeper than the scoreline itself. He said, “If Nick Saban watched this tape back yesterday, he would have kicked some of these kids off the team. That’s how bad it was.” That line reverberated across the college football world because it struck at the heart of Alabama’s proud tradition: discipline, effort, and toughness. To hear that current players lacked those very qualities was a jarring indictment of what’s happening in Tuscaloosa under new head coach Kalen DeBoer.
What made Orlovsky’s critique sting even more was how specific he got. He pointed to the lack of effort, poor tackling angles, and what he called “controllables” as glaring issues. These aren’t schematic problems or talent deficiencies—these are the fundamentals of football, the things that Nick Saban demanded excellence in. And when you hear an analyst say the Tide are slipping in areas that were once untouchable trademarks of their program, the conversation shifts from “bad game” to “cultural concern.” For Alabama, culture has always been the backbone of their success. The idea that players aren’t giving maximum effort or that defensive pursuit is half-hearted goes against everything Tide football has stood for.
To make matters worse, Florida State’s quarterback Thomas Castellanos had already stirred the pot in the offseason by taunting Alabama. Many wrote it off as bravado from a transfer quarterback who hadn’t proven himself on this kind of stage. But Castellanos backed up his words with a performance that left Alabama’s defense chasing shadows. He rushed for 78 yards, passed for 152, and controlled the tempo of the game in ways that frustrated Kane Wommack’s debut as Alabama’s new defensive coordinator. The Seminoles racked up 230 rushing yards, bulldozing their way through a defense that once prided itself on suffocating opposing offenses. Watching FSU impose their will on the ground while Alabama defenders looked out of position, missed tackles, and seemed gassed only amplified the perception that the Tide are not the same force they used to be.
And yet, Kalen DeBoer stood in front of the media afterward, projecting optimism. “These guys are high character. They want it bad,” he said, emphasizing belief in his roster despite what the tape showed. For some, those words were admirable—a coach standing by his players after a tough loss. For others, they rang hollow, a sign of a coach either unwilling or unable to acknowledge the magnitude of what went wrong. DeBoer was brought in not just to maintain Alabama’s winning tradition but to prove that the program could thrive beyond Nick Saban. Games like this, however, invite questions about whether he’s truly prepared for the pressure cooker that is Tuscaloosa.
The historical weight of this defeat also cannot be ignored. This was Alabama’s first season-opening loss since 2001. Think about that for a moment. A generation of Tide fans had never experienced the gut punch of starting a season with a loss. Under Saban, season openers became showcases for Alabama’s dominance, whether it was dismantling USC, crushing Florida State in 2017, or handling Miami. Those games weren’t just wins; they were statements to the rest of college football. Now, in DeBoer’s debut season, Alabama is on the wrong side of history, and it raises questions about whether the mystique of invincibility that surrounded the Crimson Tide has started to evaporate.
Dan Orlovsky’s harsh words weren’t just criticism for the sake of television soundbites; they were a reflection of what many fans and former players were thinking. Under Nick Saban, lack of effort was simply not tolerated. Players were benched, called out publicly, or—as Orlovsky bluntly put it—might even have been kicked off the team. That fear and accountability created a standard where even the most talented five-star recruits knew they couldn’t skate by on raw ability alone. The idea that Alabama players are now being accused of coasting or failing to bring maximum effort feels like a betrayal of the program’s identity.
At the same time, it’s important to remember that transitions are rarely smooth in college football. Kalen DeBoer isn’t Nick Saban—no one is. Expecting him to replicate Saban’s iron grip on the program in his first season may be unrealistic. Still, there’s a line between growing pains and systemic issues, and right now, Alabama fans are worried that the problems exposed by Florida State fall into the latter category. Missed tackles, poor discipline, and lack of energy aren’t things that can simply be chalked up to “Week 1 rust.” Those are signs of deeper cracks that need immediate fixing.
Alabama does have a chance to regroup next week against Louisiana-Monroe, a game that on paper looks like a get-right opportunity. But the real test isn’t whether they can blow out a lesser opponent—it’s whether they can restore confidence, discipline, and fire in their play. Because the schedule only gets tougher from here, and the SEC isn’t exactly forgiving. If Alabama doesn’t correct these flaws quickly, the whispers about Kalen DeBoer’s future won’t just be from analysts on ESPN—they’ll be from boosters, alumni, and fans who demand nothing less than championships.
It’s also worth noting that Florida State deserves credit for how they approached this game. Castellanos not only backed up his trash talk but also gave the Seminoles swagger that Alabama simply didn’t match. FSU’s offensive line controlled the trenches, their defense played with energy, and their coaches had a game plan that maximized their strengths. For too long, games like this were one-sided, with Alabama physically and mentally overwhelming opponents before the fourth quarter. Seeing the roles reversed is what made this result so shocking and so telling.
The fallout from this game will likely linger for weeks, and not just in Tuscaloosa. Across the college football world, rival fanbases will see Alabama’s loss as a sign that the dynasty is over, that the Tide are mortal again. Whether that’s an overreaction or not depends on how DeBoer and his players respond. Do they rally together, clean up the fundamentals, and rediscover the discipline that defined them under Saban? Or does this become the first of many examples of Alabama being “just another good program” instead of the program in college football?
For the players themselves, this is also a gut check. Criticism from media figures is one thing, but when people start saying “Nick Saban would’ve kicked you off the team,” that’s a challenge to your pride. Alabama players have long carried themselves with the confidence of being part of a program that sets the standard. Now, they’re faced with proving that they deserve to wear that jersey. Effort and execution aren’t optional at Alabama—they’re mandatory. If these players truly “want it bad,” as DeBoer insists, then the next few weeks will show it.
As fans, this is a moment to reflect on what Alabama football means to you. Is it purely about winning championships, or is it about the standard, the discipline, the refusal to accept mediocrity? Nick Saban’s legacy isn’t just in the titles he won but in the culture he built. The question now is whether that culture can survive without him, or if it left with him when he walked away. One game doesn’t define a season, but sometimes one game can reveal uncomfortable truths about where a program stands.
I’d love to hear what you think about this moment for Alabama football. Do you agree with Dan Orlovsky’s sharp criticism, or do you think it’s unfair to judge Kalen DeBoer and his team so harshly after just one game? Is this simply a wake-up call that the Tide needed, or is it a sign of deeper problems that could define their season? Drop your thoughts in the comments—I’m really curious to see how fans are processing this upset and what you believe it means for the future of the Crimson Tide.
