Alabama football is in unfamiliar territory. This is a team that is usually one of the most feared teams in the regular season and on Saturday, the Tide is starting to turn.
“Obviously a tough loss, frustrating loss,” DeBoer said after the loss to reporters. “We’ve had two now. We just can’t play team football, we can’t bring it together. One side of the ball has highlighted moments and the other side stumbles and some missed opportunities.”
Here’s full video of Kalen DeBoer’s press conference after the loss to Tennessee pic.twitter.com/vF18SJw0i9
— Nick Kelly (@_NickKelly) October 20, 2024
The Crimson Tide needed that win for more reasons than one. Kalen DeBoer needed that win to restore faith in a fan base that was humbled with the loss to Vanderbilt a couple weeks ago. The team needed that win to give a little momentum with the back end of the schedule picking up as they drop again in the rankings with another loss.
And more importantly, the program needed that win to keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive. They aren’t quite shot, but it get a little bit harder to get in now. Here’s what DeBoer said after Alabama’s second loss of the season.
Why Kalen DeBoer decided to go for it on 4th-and-22 late against Tennessee
In a way, the play made sense simply from having little time to risk Tennessee getting a first down and burning the clock without getting the ball back. At least going for it, they give themselves a chance, a slim one at that, to get a first down.
They didn’t and forced Tennessee to take a field goal, which they made, which gave Alabama one final drive.
“I know what it looks like when you watch it,” DeBoer said. “But there’s a game plan reason where we would do something. Understand where you’re throwing short of the sticks as well. Hats off to them, they played it the way they needed to.”
He added he didn’t want to burn a timeout because he knew the Crimson Tide would need them on defense.
What is Kalen DeBoer’s message to an Alabama team that’s not used to losing?
It’s reality check time for Alabama. This is a team that doesn’t typically lose multiple regular season games.
“I told them there, these are the speeches I’m not good at,” DeBoer said, “We’ve got to look inward first and make sure that everything you’re doing is right.”
This is as urgent as ever for Alabama to get back on track. Three losses will all but certainly keep them out of the playoffs and if none of the other teams at the top of the SEC lose, it could make it even harder to get in without a title appearance.
“I don’t rush the fight,” DeBoer added about where his team goes from here. “I don’t rush the prep. I don’t rush the work that is put in.”
Kalen DeBoer’s message to Alabama fans after second loss in three weeks
DeBoer’s message to the fan base that’s gotten very comfortable with winning was similar to what he told his team after the tough loss.
“All I know is that you just go back and work,” DeBoer said. “That’s the only thing you can do.”
It might not be exactly what Alabama fans want to hear, but he added he knows how urgent it is for his team to win and figure out how to get back in sync. The offense has struggled to get the plays when they need them. They’ve had costly penalties that have made it more difficult to get into a rhythm.
All of that has to get cleared up or Alabama could be left out of the CFB Playoff this year.