Can Alabama football win the national championship? What Kalen DeBoer thinks

Alabama football has made it into the penultimate 12-team College Football Playoff field announced Tuesday.

The most important and decisive ranking will be announced on Sunday. Then the Crimson Tide will find out if it not only has a chance to play in the playoffs, but also has a chance to win a national championship. But right now, it looks like Alabama is on track to make the playoffs. More than Miami, Ole Miss and South Carolina.

Does first-year coach Kalen DeBoer think Alabama can win a national championship? He was asked this week on the College GameDay podcast.

“I really do,” DeBoer said. “I’ve seen what the teams are like, especially last year. I think about the makeup, the DNA. You have to be physical. That’s who we are across the board. Both sides. Everyone thinks about offensive line, defensive line, but overall we’re a physical team. We have become more physical as we have gained more depth on our roster and more experience with a lot of young guys also on the field to complement the upperclassmen.”

DeBoer also highlighted other areas of the team. He mentioned explosiveness and the ability to scout big plays. Then he mentioned his quarterback, Jalen Milroe.

“Just being an athlete, an elite football player in a lot of ways,” DeBoer said. “He can throw it down the field. Played a lot of big games for us this year. Has done this for an extended period of time over the last few years. His experience in the big game is important.”

DeBoer then discussed his defense. In particular, it is the possibility of forcing take-away food. Alabama ranks second in the country with 27, behind only Notre Dame (28).

DeBoer also praised Alabama’s special teams.

“We’re a very balanced team in every way,” DeBoer said. “We have a weapon in our punting game. Our kicking game, just coverage units are all really on par.”

But beyond a single unit, DeBoer is confident in the resilience of his team as a whole.

“I think we’ve weathered a lot of storms,” DeBoer said. “I think that’s what’s needed when you’re not just talking about two rounds of the playoffs, but up to four, depending on whether you get the first bye or not. Having been in the playoffs, I know it’s a smaller college, but when you get through more than just two games, you take a different route and path. I think we have that makeup.”