Kalen DeBoer describes his mindset towards expectations, outside noise

With two games left in the regular season, everything Alabama wanted to play for in 2024 is still very much a possibility. That includes the two main prizes: an SEC Championship Game berth and a bid to the 12-team College Football Playoff.

And while those around Tuscaloosa are quite accustomed to these sorts of stakes, it’s the first time handling it in this setting for head coach Kalen DeBoer. And while there is plenty of noise and potential for distraction, DeBoer is just focused on winning the next game, as he hopes his team is, too.

“We don’t really talk about the outside,” DeBoer said. “We just focus on what we’re doing right now. Because we know that if we don’t take care of our business, the rest of it doesn’t matter. And that, I guess, it seems simple. I hope it’s simple for our guys. I understand the distractions and the noise is out there everywhere and I think we’ve really honed it and the guys really believe on and have understood the significance of really focusing on where we’re at now. We talk about the next play is the most important play, the next game is the most important game.”

And likely much to DeBoer’s pleasure, he feels like the team is now laser focused on Oklahoma, the next opponent, even with a rivalry game looming the next week.

He also pointed to the way his team locked in and focused on beating an FCS opponent the prior week as a prime example of the focus and attention he wants his program to have on the task at hand.

“We haven’t done anything beyond Oklahoma and I even go back to this last week, I think our guys did a great job of just focusing on Mercer,” DeBoer said. “I really do. I think they really honed in on trying to make themselves the best they can be, continue to get better and that will put us in a position to where we’re now playing Oklahoma, we give ourselves a better chance to win. So we’re really, I think, locked in on the right things right now.”