Kalen DeBoer answers whether Alabama defense has ‘turned corner’

From Week 4 to Week 8, Alabama‘s defense gave up 27 points per game. On Saturday, the Crimson Tide flipped the script, defeating Missouri 34-0. After the game, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer addressed his team’s improved defense.

“You’re only as good as your last play, right? And only as good as your last game,” DeBoer said. “There are things you make sure that you know you do well, and that’s something that is certainly, there’s some good vibes when it comes to taking the football away defensively.

“They’re hunting it. They’re anticipating a little bit. So a little bit more of an attacking mindset and not so much on their heels and just making every yard count.”

The shutout was Missouri’s lowest-scoring output of the season, surpassing their previous low of 10 points against Texas A&M. The Tigers only recorded 239 total yards of offense against the Crimson Tide while committing three turnovers, all of which were interceptions.

Missouri was without its starting quarterback, Brady Cook, for most of the game. Cook was questionable in the week leading up to the game due to an ankle injury he suffered in Week 8 but was forced to leave the game on Saturday after suffering an additional injury to his throwing hand late in the first half.

Backup QB Drew Pyne struggled to fill Cook’s shoes, only completing 6-of-his-12 passes for 42 yards. He did not throw a touchdown. Kalen DeBoer believes it was important for his team to see they were capable of holding a team scoreless.

“I wanted them to really get that shutout there,” DeBoer said. “It’s why I called the timeout. If there was any type of question at all, I wanted to let us get our feet in the ground and be able to play football. So I wanted that for them because I know they’ve been working extremely hard and just staying the course and appreciate the effort today.

“Really kept up right there to where once the offense then got it rolling better and found ways there, especially the latter half of the second quarter, to where we really started playing a full team game.”

Alabama will enjoy a bye this week to further build on its improving defense before it squares off against LSU on Nov. 9.