Auburn football fans should love that DeBoer is already living up to 'Husky Harsin' name
Kalen DeBoer solidified the "Husky Harsin" narrative after Alabama lost to Vanderbilt 40-35 in Nashville on October 5. Although to be fair to Bryan Harsin, Auburn football fans didn't suffer a defeat as embarrassing as that in his two years on the Plains.
DeBoer's seat, like Harsin's in his first season in charge of the Tigers, is already warm. Mike Farrell Sports' Mark Pszonak deemed DeBoer's seat warm, saying "Fact" when asked if that statement was fiction or a fact.
"I know it sounds dumb but hear me out," Pszonak prefaced before saying, "DeBoer is just a few games into his tenure at Alabama and isn’t going anywhere soon. However, following Nick Saban is impossible and losing to a team that hasn’t beaten your program in 40 years is bad. So now Alabama fans are wondering “did we hire the right guy?” a week removed from beating Georgia. DeBoer will be questioned and rightly so and how his team responds will be pivotal. Is this the start of a 9-3 season? Will Alabama win the SEC or make the playoff? If this season falls short and the loss to Vandy is the reason it will be a long off season."
The narrative is already against DeBoer. As great as the Georgia win was on September 28, losing to Vanderbilt was the only way to undo that glory and undermine a Crimson Tide team that looked like a legitimate College Football Playoff contender.
Maybe they still are. But even two more losses can send the Gumps over the edge and have them demanding a new Nick Saban successor in Tuscaloosa.
DeBoer may not be able to flex the Alabama brand anymore. Losing to the Commodores really is that much of a sin.
Bryan Harsin comments on Kalen DeBoer's loss to Vanderbilt
Harsin is social media savvy. By commenting on DeBoer, he just subtley kept his name in the headlines.
Responding to the news that college football is doing away with NLIs, Harsin linked Vanderbilt's upset over Alabama to how NLI and recruiting rankings are "antiquated" now.
"NLI & Recruiting Rankings are both antiquated now," Harsin said on Twitter. "The Portal has changed the game. #1 recruiting class Alabama beat by #53 class of Vanderbilt, why Diego Pavia (2 star). NLI & Rankings are meaningless as teams are not complete until spring ball is finished & the portal closed."
DeBoer could soon have Alabama fans hating him as much as Auburn fans hate Harsin. Tide fans certainly hate how DeBoer dresses. It's only a matter of time before they hate everything else.