New Delhi, July 17 -- Four years without a national championship feels like a severe drought for veteran Alabama players.

Similarly, one year of missing the College Football Playoff has second-year coach Kalen DeBoer feeling the pressure to restore the Crimson Tide's status as one of the nation's top teams in 2025.

When asked Wednesday at the Southeastern Conference media days if a 9-4 finish in his 2024 debut season met the Alabama standard, DeBoer said: "I mean, if you internally ask us, no. We fell short of making the playoffs. It's as simple as that, right? Giving yourself a chance to go compete for a championship."

DeBoer's task is especially difficult because he's the coach who followed Nick Saban, who led Alabama to its last nat...