Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer spoke to the media earlier on Monday to preview the Week 3 matchup against Wisconsin.
It was a significantly different vibe when DeBoer took the podium as opposed to last Monday.
Confidence was emanating, business as usual, and locked in for the next game.
But it’s behavior from a coach that Roll Tide Nation needs to get accustomed to. DeBoer doesn’t wear his heart on his sleeve like his predecessor Nick Saban did. You’re rarely going to get the ever-so graphic soundbites from him like Saban offered on a near-weekly basis.
“When a quarterback can take a major college football player and sling him off like a gnat on a cow’s a**...”-
"Georgia Southern ran through us like s*** through a tin horn."-
Instead, DeBoer will look at the media and speak to them like everything is OK. Even if things are bad, he’ll tell you they’re bad, but that’s as far as he’ll go.
After the 73-0 beatdown against UL Monroe – which was the largest margin of victory by an Alabama team since 1971, DeBoer spoke with praise regarding his team.
Protecting the Ball
He started off his presser acknowledging the work that his quarterback Ty Simpson did, to shake off the rough loss from Week 1, and perform at a high level during Week 2.
But he quickly shifted the emphasis on the ball.
"Three takeaways, no turnovers. Love to see that. Two of them were fumbles. Last year, we got a lot of interceptions, and so, I love to see the aggression there, popping the ball loose. And those are things that get contagious, and I thought, talked to the team a lot about that and how that's got to carry over into this next week.”
Future Hall of Fame coach Pete Carroll’s major philosophy is to consistently “be about the ball.” When you see a glimpse of the pigskin on defense, jump on it like your life depends on it. When you have the ball, protect it like it’s your child until you score.
His Interaction with Tim Keenan
Defensive tackle, Tim Keenan has donned the crimson and white for five years now, and he’s seen it all. He’s a product of Saban, and one of the few on this program who understands the magnitude of playing football for the University of Alabama.
However, with Keenan injured, recovering from tightrope surgery, he’s been forced to miss at least a month of action. And one part of it, was that he wasn’t with the team on Week 1.
Before the UL Monroe game, it was caught on camera that Keenan walked up to DeBoer and started talking to him intently, trying to get him hyped up – and you can see DeBoer looking straight at the field and nodding in agreement.
DeBoer was asked about that exchange and while he seemed uncomfortable at first to acknowledge it, he elaborated:
"TK, I can say this, he really missed not being at the game in Week 1. He's a high-energy guy, and I know that I really challenged him and told him we needed that for our team. It wouldn't surprise me that we had that exchange. Him bringing that energy not just to our players, but our coaching staff, including me. I really appreciate it. He's a captain. He's poured into this program a lot… I feel very supported by him.”
Jam Miller Returning?
Coming into the season, there was a whole lot of excitement about running back Jam Miller returning, and the potential step forward he can make.
But once he dislocated his collarbone, the empty veteran presence in the backfield was certainly glaring – especially in Week 1.
Miller’s return still seems up in the air, but the good thing for him and the team was that he would likely return to play when conference play kicks back up – which for Alabama would be on September 27, right after a bye week.
DeBoer was asked about Miller’s status, and he seemed non-committal stating that it was up to the doctors and trainers.
"We've got a number of guys that are day-to-day, and he would certainly be one of them. We're optimistic that there could be a chance. I really don't think we'll know until later in the week. You saw him in pregame. He was out there doing some things aggressively, trying to continue to push forward. You can see that with Jam. He's chomping at the bit. We've just got to make sure we're making a smart decision. That will be left up to our training staff and our doctors and also how Jam feels. He's making a lot of progress."
Getting Miller back before the Georgia game on the 27th would in fact be huge. It gives him the ability to get in game action, while allowing to recover during the bye afterwards.
The game against Georgia is a game circled on everyone’s calendars, especially given how dramatic the matchup between these two programs went last season.
If he can’t go, then that shouldn't be a problem either. It gives Kevin Riley another opportunity to get starter snaps, as well as Richard Young – who is still finding his way.
Either way, it’s a win/win for the program, but of course Miller would prefer to get back as soon as possible. His status leading up to Saturday will be something to monitor.