Kalen DeBoer's Alabama DC platoon helps flip 4-star Saraland DL Antonio Coleman from Auburn football

Kalen DeBoer's Alabama defensive coordinator platoon of Kane Wommack, Colin Hitschler, and Maurice Linguist helped the Tide flip a major Auburn football commit for the 2025 class: Saraland's Antonio Coleman. The Spartans defensive lineman shared that he's more confident in Alabama's Freddie Roach to develop him than AU's staff.

“I feel like Roach is solid and like their program can develop me more," Coleman said of his March 2 decision (h/t On3).

In early February, Coleman shared his appreciation of DeBoer and Roach while sharing that, at the time, he was "100% committed" to Auburn.

“Kalen DeBoer is a great coach,” he said (h/t AL.com). “I like that he wants to win and make sure all his players are good. Coach (Freddie) Roach is like a father figure. He wants the best for you rather you are there or not. The overall visit was great.

“I’m definitely 100 percent still with Auburn, but Alabama is not yet left out. They are still a school I committed to, and they are still in my mind, but right now it’s definitely War Eagle.”

Nick Saban's retirement may have worked against Auburn football in Antonio Coleman pursuit

Back in January, Coleman stated that he wants to join Hugh Freeze's Tigers specifically because they would be a challenge; unlike Alabama, which, at the time, was already a well-established program under Nick Saban.

"I definitely liked the (Auburn) campus, all the players, all the coaches, but...what made me flip from Alabama to Auburn is that Auburn needed to be built, from my perspective. Alabama is already built," Coleman said (h/t Auburn Daily).

After flipping to Auburn in December to be part of building something, it now appears that Coleman feels there might be more of a challenge at Alabama.

In many ways, his flip is a vote of confidence for AU having a chance to be the better team in DeBoer's first campaign at the helm of the Tide in 2024.