David Pollack 'confused' by stories of Alabama players being more locked in entering 2025

Last month, Alabama offensive lineman Roq Montgomery suggested the Crimson Tide are “more dialed in” and “more serious” entering their second offseason under Kalen DeBoer.

After 17 years of Nick Saban extolling the virtues of “The Bama Standard” of excellence, which coincided wth a strict adherence to Saban’s “Process,” the Crimson Tide noticably struggled in its first season under DeBoer, finishing 9-4 for the program’s first four-loss campaign since 2007 — Saban’s first in Tuscaloosa.

Now, at least according to Montgomery, the Alabama players are working to recreate some form of the aforementioned standard of excellence that led to more than 200 wins in 17 years under Saban.

“It’s like more dialed in, more serious. It’s not like we ain’t never been serious about anything, because there’s things that we do, but we just got to get back to the old days — to when Bama does nothing but win, and win championships. That’s the main focus right now,” Montgomery said on a recent episode of The Bama Standard Podcast. “We ain’t playing no games with nobody. Anybody on staff, anybody that’s a player, like no nothing. Don’t be late to nothing. Do your work on time. Do all the little stuff great … do the little stuff right and we’ll be rewarded in the end. So, we’ve just got to do the little things the right way and then we’ll be just fine.”

The revelation that Alabama was dealing with players being late to meetings or workouts — an absolute no-no under Saban — sent shockwaves throughout a Crimson Tide fanbase that was already upset by a perceived lack of attention to detail last season that was prevalant under Saban.

David Pollack: 2024 season ‘was a complete and total culture shock’ for Alabama

Count former ESPN analyst David Pollack among those surprised by Montgomery’s comments.

“I’m confused. I feel like I’m missing … I would love to get more details on this and get more of the story, hear from more of the players and stuff. But I didn’t know this was ever a thing (at Alabama). I thought you always had to be on time for workouts, I thought if you didn’t, it was a punishment,” Pollack said last week on his David Pollack College Football podcast.

“Listen, what Bama went through a year ago, it was a complete and total culture shock. It was done one way that was THE way and everybody talked about it and everybody thinks it’s the gold standard. And then being Kalen DeBoer coming in next, that’s a hard life. We both thought he was a great coach, nobody disputed he was a great coach, but you’re taking over for the greatest coach of all-time. And that’s a different standard you have to live up to, while being your own man, while kids get to know you. That’s a tough job. … I wonder how much of it is true and do I really want to believe, and how much they were just allowed to free-style and do what they want (last season).”

Whether it’s true or not, last season’s results — including ending with a frustrating ReliaQuest Bowl loss to an unranked Michigan — have clearly sparked something within the Alabama football program. Now, whether it’s enough to return the Crimson Tide to its championship-winning ways under Saban is yet to be seen. But it’s clear 2025 will be a litmus test for DeBoer and Alabama both.

“I feel like everybody going in the right direction right now,” Montgomery said. “But I feel come August we’re gonna be a scary sight to see.”

On3’s Dan Morrison contributed to this report.