Malachi Moore reveals what he told Kalen DeBoer before deciding to return for 2024 season

Kalen DeBoer stepped into a pressure cooker when he jumped from Washington to Alabama to replace Nick Saban as the Crimson Tide’s head coach. And it’s a move that immediately earned him the respect of a key player in Malachi Moore.

Moore, speaking with SEC Network’s Alyssa Lang at SEC Media Days on Wednesday, explained his early interactions with DeBoer as Moore himself came to the decision to stay for another season. Ultimately, it came down to respecting how DeBoer stepped into the difficult spot.

“I would say I had a lot of respect for Coach DeBoer when he first came in,” Moore said. “That’s one of the first things I told him when we had our first conversation together, the night he got there, was I told him how much respect I have for him for just being man enough to step up and take his job after the greatest coach in college football.”

Additionally, Moore said, DeBoer’s situation was complicated not only by replacing Saban, but leaving a team that had just played for a national championship.

“And it’s not easy to do, especially when your team just went to the national championship, so I commend him for that and it showed me what type of man he was,” Moore said. “It’s been a fun transition with Coach DeBoer coming in. Everybody’s loving it, we’ve got a lot of new positive energy, I’m looking forward to this season.”

Moore also reflected on Saban being on hand with the media

Moore is seeing Saban in a different light at SEC Media Days, as the Alabama defensive back is in Dallas this week, along with his former coach, who’s now part of the ESPN contingent.

While it’s evident Moore thinks the world of Saban as a coach, he’s a believer that the former Crimson Tide leader is adjusting to his new role just as well. Moore even harkened back to one of Saban’s favorite one-liners, when speaking on the job his former coach has done this week.

“I think Coach Saban did a good job of putting a little bit of rat poison out there this week,” Moore said, speaking with SEC Network’s Alyssa Lang, regarding Saban’s job as a member of the media. “But nah, he’s been doing good.

“This is the time I’ve definitely seen him smile, the most I’ve ever seen him smile. Yeah, I’m glad Coach can kind of relax a little bit.”