Kalen DeBoer’s Thoughts During ‘Hey Coach’ on Wednesday

TUSCALOOSA, Ala- On Wednesday, Kalen DeBoer took to the airwaves during 'Hey Coach'. He discussed Alabama’s growth throughout the season, recent performances, the importance of bringing new talent onto the field, and the progress both the offense and defense have made.

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“Yeah, two left, it's gone fast, but yeah, it was great to get a lot of guys some action on Saturday and proud of the upperclassmen for the way they went about their business to be able to do that. And then, you know, what you really love is the energy that comes along with a lot of new faces on the football field,” said DeBoer during his opening statement.

He then expressed how proud he has seen the Crimson Tide grow throughout the season.“Yeah, you know the defense got takeaways and the offense punched it in for the most part. I think the one drive in the second quarter was the one that we fell short, but you know the guys did what they needed to do.” He continued with, “Coach Womack and the scheme and things like that, I think there are pieces to it where that’s a part of what it can bring. It’s just a matter of how quickly guys get comfortable with it and trust each other, and there have got to be players making plays too. There’s got to be pressure on a quarterback for a quarterback to throw into maybe an area that is defended well. And there are times when the coverage needs to be there to allow an extra second for the rush. A lot of it has been interceptions, we’ve forced some fumbles here and there each and every game, one here and one there. But you know, they’re playing more confidently, playing confident, aggressive, and the hustle is there, the effort is there, which it always has been,” crediting Wommack for the growth of the defense.

He then went on to share what he’s seen from Oklahoma. “Yeah, you know, defensively, Coach Venables is a defensive guy, you know, long-time defensive coordinator and, he’s doing a great job as a head coach there, brings a lot of energy. You can see the guys playing hard. You see them playing together, team football, you know, defensively. They've forced a lot of fumbles themselves. Takeaways are important. When they take care of the ball, they find ways to win and play the team game that they want. They've had a few different guys rotating in at quarterback, different styles, but probably really run the same concepts for the most part. They'll run both quarterbacks, you know, Jackson Arnold’s the guy that you anticipate starting, has started recently, can throw it, and they have some explosive guys on the outside and in the backfield that can hit home runs, you know, when they get the ball in their hands. So, I think a lot of it comes down to the same things, which is taking care of our business when it comes to controlling the football, taking care of it, and getting the takeaways on our end.”

He then shared what he’s seen from Oklahoma on film. “Yeah, you know, defensively, Coach Venables is a defensive guy, you know, long-time defensive coordinator and, you know, he’s doing a great job as a head coach there, brings a lot of energy. You can see the guys playing hard. You see them playing together, team football, you know, defensively. They've forced a lot of fumbles themselves. Takeaways are important. When they take care of the ball, they find ways to win and play the team game that they want. They've had a few different guys rotating in at quarterback, different styles, but probably really run the same concepts for the most part. They'll run both quarterbacks, you know, Jackson Arnold’s the guy that you anticipate starting, has started recently, can throw it, and they have some explosive guys on the outside and in the backfield that can hit home runs, you know, when they get the ball in their hands. So, you know, just, I think a lot of it comes down to the same things, which is taking care of our business when it comes to controlling the football, taking care of it, and getting the takeaways on our end.”

Later in the show, defensive lineman Tim Keenan joined and shared why he decided to stay at Alabama after the DeBoer hire. "Well, one, I'm a real big spiritual guy, so I got faith in God, and God only allows things that are necessary, so God felt that he needed to be our coach, and I got full trust in him. And then he kept my coach too (Freddie Roach) , so I liked him even better. I’ve been riding with him (DeBoer)  for a long time because if God believed in him, why shouldn’t I?” He then discussed the team's dynamics further. Keenan brought a player’s perspective on the improvements that have been made, particularly in defensive schemes and teamwork. His insights complemented DeBoer’s reflections and provided listeners with a well-rounded view of the team’s journey this season.

The discussion wrapped up with DeBoer expressing his anticipation for the final games of the season. As the Crimson Tide look ahead, DeBoer has a sense of excitement about the potential of the team and the impact of the underclassmen stepping into more significant roles.

As the clock ticks for kickoff, stay tuned for all updates regarding Alabama football through Tide 100.9.