Kalen DeBoer addresses beating Diego Pavia after trash talk prior to game

For the second time this season, Alabama dealt with an opposing quarterback who was quite confident leading into their matchup. Tommy Castellanos of Florida State backed up his words, taking down the Crimson Tide to open the season. However, Vanderbilt‘s Diego Pavia did not have the same fate. Kalen DeBoer saw his team earn a big-time victory, silencing all the talk.

So how does DeBoer feel about the win after Pavia’s comments? More than anything, he is proud of how Alabama responded to the entire situation. Some extra edge is always provided in those moments but for the most part, DeBoer says the players kept grounded.

“There’s that part, of course,’ DeBoer said via Bussin’ With The Boys. “But we can’t control that. We’re in our own fight here throughout the season. I’m just proud of the way the guys go one week at a time. Got a chip on their shoulder with the things that are out there but also balancing and channeling the energy into the things that matter most and helping them be the best that they can be.”

Pavia spoke to On3’s Chris Low just days before rolling into Tuscaloosa. Of course, he brought a lot of confidence to the table. This is nothing new for Pavia, no matter who the opponent is. Pavia enjoys expressing his big-picture goals and believing the job will get done.

“The crowd, I think, is going to be a big factor in the game,” Pavia said. “But we just gotta play within the white lines. If we do that, if we play our game, it won’t be close.”

The individual performance of Pavia wound up not being too great. Just 21 of his 36 passes resulted in completion, adding 198 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Another lost fumble finds itself on the stat sheet too, one Pavia coughed up during a potential scoring drive for Vanderbilt.

DeBoer may not express the same-level emotion but fans in Bryant-Denny Stadium certainly did — if not going one step further. Pavia got into a shouting match with one, saying, “I’ll do whatever the **** I want” in the midst of some back-and-forth expletives.

More likely than not, DeBoer has mentally moved on to the next game. Alabama heads on the road for a massive showdown against the Missouri Tigers. Bullets do not stop flying in the SEC, giving nobody time to bask in wins.