Being the first head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide football program after Nick Saban was never going to be easy, but first-year coach Kalen DeBoer is

Alabama football is a different program under Kalen DeBoer versus Nick Saban. The Crimson Tide is 5-1 in DeBoer’s first season, but it has areas that need improvement if it wants an opportunity at a Southeastern Conference Championship or make the College Football Playoff.

Missouri Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz — whose team plays at Alabama at 2:30 p.m. Saturday — went so far to say DeBoer is arguably the best coach in college football, comparing him to Georgia’s Kirby Smart. On Wednesday, Drinkwitz said on “The Paul Finebaum Show” that people are overreacting.

Croom was a former on-field standout for the Crimson Tide where he was a three-year starter at center from 1972-74, ending his Alabama career as one of the top players at the position in program history. His career highlights included a 1974 First Team All-American, the 1973 national championship, and a 1974 team captain.

Late in the fourth quarter of the Alabama Crimson Tide's 24-17 loss to the Tennessee Vols, Bama true freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams was criticized by ESPN announcer Greg McElroy for not making a block on a fourth-and-22 play.