Stephen A. Smith berates Kalen DeBoer for killing Alabama culture: 'These guys are soft'

Confidence is low in Alabama after the Crimson Tide’s stunning 31-17 loss to Florida State on Saturday. On Monday, First Take host Stephen A. Smith shredded Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer when asked if he believes the second-year head coach can turn things around in Tuscaloosa.

“Hell no. I don’t believe it,” Smith said. “I don’t believe in this man. I just don’t. I just don’t. And I’m not in any way implying that the man can’t coach. I know that he’s won everywhere that he’s been. I know a couple of years ago, he took Washington to the national championship game. I get all of that. I understand it.

“But he is the successor to Nick Saban, and what Nick Saban established, in terms of culture, it’s gone. I mean, these guys are soft compared to the teams that we saw coached by Nick Saban.”

There have been no shortage of comparisons between DeBoer and Saban since the loss on Saturday. In 14 games at Alabama, DeBoer has lost as many games against unranked opponents as Saban did in his 17 years as head coach.

FSU’s offense marched all over Alabama, racking up 382 total yards of offense against the Crimson Tide. Worse, the Seminoles did so after FSU quarterback Thomas Castellanos trash talked Alabama this offseason.

Many fans believe Castellanos and Co. wouldn’t have gotten away with the disrespect against a Saban-coached team. Evidently, Stephen A. Smith doesn’t disagree.

“Who would’ve ever thought that somebody would have the audacity, the unmitigated gall to call out Nick Saban? They would never,” Smith said. “But they did it, why? Because Kalen DeBoer is coaching them, because that finesse style that you were enjoying in the Pac-12 once upon a time, out there in the Pacific Northwest, it ain’t Alabama.

“You in Alabama. You in the South. You’re in the country. You gotta get the big brothers, meat and potatoes, eating hogs for breakfast. That’s what you need. But [they] don’t have that in Alabama.

“The days of Alabama with Nick Saban are gone unless one thing happens: Somehow, someway you convince that man to come off that fantastic show that is College GameDay and return to save Alabama. That’s about it because I don’t see anything happening with Kalen DeBoer. I just don’t see it.”

Alabama will look to bounce back from its loss when it squares off against UL Monroe at 7:45 p.m. ET Saturday. The game will air live on the SEC Network.