Cam Newton claims Kalen DeBoer will 'be in a volcano' if Alabama loses to Georgia

Alabama‘s season got off on the wrong foot, as it was run off the field by unranked Florida State in Tallahassee, 31-1,7 in its season opener. This loss raised many questions about the future of head coach Kalen DeBoer, and those questions haven’t gone away even after Alabama‘s 73-0 shutout win against Louisiana-Monroe and 38-14 win over Wisconsin.

Through 16 games as the head coach in Tuscaloosa, DeBoer is 11-5 with four losses in games where the Crimson Tide were favored by at least two touchdowns. His job security, however, seems very tight, as he boasts one of the largest contract buy-outs in the entire sport.

Prior to Alabama‘s monstrous matchup against No. 5 Georgia on Saturday, former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL MVP Cam Newton claimed that DeBoer “is gonna be in a volcano somewhere if he loses” on ‘First Take‘.

“Coach Kalen DeBoer… you have to understand,” Newton began. “If you lose this game, you think (James) Franklin’s seat is gonna get hot… my boy (DeBoer) is gonna be in a volcano somewhere if he loses this one.

“I say it once and I’ll say it again, the level of expectation at the University of Alabama is unlike any other school in the nation. It’s because coach Nick Saban created a standard not many, even Bear Bryant, only him created. When you start to think about his greatness, he won a National Championship, got doused, and was still in the mood of winning. He was like ‘What’s next?'”

Win this weekend could be critical for Alabama’s CFP hopes

This weekend’s game holds massive implications for both the SEC Championship Game (which either Alabama or Georgia has won 11 of the past 13 years) and the College Football Playoff. A win for the Crimson Tide would put them right back in the thick of the CFP race, while a loss would make things extremely difficult. Alabama has never missed back-to-back College Football Playoffs since the format started in 2014.

Last season marked the first Alabama–Georgia matchup in the post-Nick Saban era. DeBoer‘s Crimson Tide held off the ‘Dawgs 41-34 thanks to an unbelievable 75-yard passing touchdown from Jalen Milroe to Ryan Williams with just 2:18 remaining. The two programs went in opposite directions after that game, however, as Alabama is just 7-5 and Georgia is 11-2 in the 13 games since.

Kickoff for this weekend’s game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The game can be seen on ABC.