Malachi Moore explains Alabama's motivation after Nick Saban to Kalen DeBoer coaching transition

Questions about the transition from Nick Saban to Kalen DeBoer are nearly over. When play begins on Aug. 31, there will be some sort of answer, getting a look at Alabama against Western Kentucky. ESPN’s Paul Finebaum decided to sneak one more in when speaking to Malachi Moore.

Finebaum wondered what the motivation behind this year’s Alabama team is. Moore explained the players feel like there are a lot of doubters out there, specifically when it comes to DeBoer taking over the program. Now, it’s their goal to prove everybody wrong and show the standard is still incredibly high.

“I think the mentality of this team since the transition and the change has been that we have doubters out there,” Moore said Wednesday during an appearance on The Paul Finebaum Show. “I think that’s something we take with us through the offseason and we’ve had that chip on our shoulder since the end of last season.

“I think that it’s something that we all remind ourselves going through practice and workouts that people are doubting us. We still have everything to prove.”

Alabama was ranked No. 5 in the preseason AP poll, maybe dismissing the idea of people doubting the Crimson Tide. But Moore pointed toward last season as wins began to stack up, there was not a whole lot of movement in the poll. That is until the very end when Alabama got into the College Football Playoff over Florida State.

Moore has a different mindset this year when looking at the outside. Staying focused on getting the job in front of them takes priority and when the games are finished, a result will be produced.

“Last year was a year for us where we really had to band together as brothers,” Moore said. “Losing to Texas early in the season and then the USF game — it was a time for us to really just lock in and figure out what we want to do, what the destiny of this team is.

“All last year, no matter how hard we fought, it felt like we weren’t moving up in the polls. So, we just stopped worrying about the polls. Don’t even look at them, just go out there and do our job.’ Try to be as dominant as we can. At the end of the day, we’re going to give it our all, look up, have to accept the result that’s out there on the field.”