Both Alabama and Auburn will enter a transition period in 2024.

While the circumstances are obviously very different, they are similar in that both Karen DeBoer and Hugh Freeze enter the season under immense pressure.

But which coach has more coaching? That's an interesting question.

For Karen DeBoer, he is about to embark on the biggest career leap yet in his coaching career. We're talking about a coach who was the offensive coordinator at Indiana University just five years ago, but wasn't a head coach at the Division I level until 2020 at Fresno State.

DeBoer has seen significant improvement and great success in his two seasons in Washington, but the pressure cooker he's dealing with in Tuscaloosa is unlike anything he's encountered throughout his career.

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When it comes to “pressure,” an argument could be made that following Nick Saban at the University of Alabama is the most pressure-filled position in the sport.

Hugh Freeze, on the other hand, is in a position where his first year on the field didn't work out, and schedule-wise it's only going to get tougher in his second year. Of course, Freeze created some recruiting momentum and brought in some promising talent, but the product Auburn brought in in 2023 wasn't good enough.

Freeze also had the worst roster Auburn has ever had in terms of talent. He has one year left on his tenure, but in a scenario where the Tigers don't move beyond a 6-6 record in 2023, things could get controversial.

Another factor to consider is the fact that Freeze has publicly stated that he will be the one calling the plays in 2024 after the firing of former offensive coordinator Phillip Montgomery.

Obviously, the Tigers had a terrible passing game in 2023, and while some new talent arrives at the wide receiver position, Peyton Thorne returns after an overall terrible season.

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Freeze should be confident in the fact that Thorn can progress under a new play-caller and with young talent as a pass catcher, and he's hedging a lot with that bet.

No one expects Auburn to compete for a championship in 2024, but steps must be taken to avoid a lot of noise from the fan base heading into next year.

Comparing the two, I would have to say that DeBoer probably has more pressure. Both will likely be called plays, but even if Alabama and Auburn end up with the same record, it's clearly a worse outcome for DeBoer than for Freese.

8-4 for Freese would be considered amazing, but 8-4 for DeBoer wouldn't even be considered a success.

It's a harsh reality for Karen DeBoer to face, but he knew what he signed up for when he took the job.

Alabama fans hope he's ready for that.

Michael Brauner is a senior sports analyst and contributing writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP