Alabama head football coach Kalen DeBoer received a puzzling gesture from the man who took over his post at Washington after the 2024/2025 season officially concluded.

ESPN revealed their grades for 2024 first-year head coaches and they weren't too kind to Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer. DeBoer, who replaced Nick Saban as the Crimson Tide's head coach in early 2024,

Alabama football landed at No. 17 in the final coaches poll top 25 of the 2024 season. The Crimson Tide finished off Kalen DeBoer’s first season 9-4 after losing the ReliaQuest Bowl to Michigan. Five coaches left UA out of the top 25 entirely. DeBoer, also a voter in the poll, put his team a bit higher than the average.

Alabama's Kalen DeBoer is familiar with Michigan's Sherrone Moore, as the two faced against each other in the national championship last season:

After finishing the season 9-4 with losses to Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Michigan, the Crimson Tide was listed as the No. 17 team in the final US LBM Coaches Poll released Tuesday. In his final coaches poll of the season, Kalen DeBoer had the Crimson Tide a bit higher.

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg initially graded Alabama's hiring of DeBoer an A-, noting his down-to-earth personality and track record. But after leading the Tide to their worst season (9-4) since Saban's first season in 2007, DeBoer received a dismal C- in review .

Kalen DeBoer earned a less-than-stellar grade from ESPN for his coaching performance in his first season after taking over for Nick Saban.

Alabama head football coach Kalen DeBoer and UGA's Kirby Smart had agendas while deciding where to rank Tennessee in the US LBM Coaches Poll.