Alabama players detail Kalen DeBoer's approach after Tennessee loss

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama is coming off its second loss of the season, which is new for the Crimson Tide, at least before the calendar turns to November. The team has two losses in the first months of a season for the first time since Nick Saban’s inaugural year in 2007.

It is not something new head coach Kalen DeBoer is accustomed to either. DeBoer arrived at Alabama with 12 career losses across his stops at Sioux Falls, Fresno State and Washington, and he admitted after losing at Tennessee, “These are the speeches I’m not good at.”

As Alabama looks to get up off the mat and bounce back against Missouri this weekend, the Tide players have liked what they’ve seen from their new head coach. Some of the veterans spoke to local reporters after Tuesday’s practice and shared his message this week.

“He’s been awesome,” said Alabama defensive lineman Jah-Marien Latham. “Just making sure that our head is in the right space and keeping us uplifted. Once you take an L, or two Ls, at Alabama, a lot of fans, you’ve got a lot of people outside, outside noise that just like to talk. 

“So just making sure that we keep the main thing and knowing what our job is, and that’s to go out and perform on Saturday.”

Blocking out external factors has been a consistent message from the coaching staff – even the previous UA regime – but it especially rings true after two disappointing defeats.

“That’s always the message throughout the whole offseason, through fall camp, through each game, whether we come out with victory, whether we come out with a loss,” said Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard. 

“Praise and blame are the same thing, so we can’t listen to what other people have to say. We have to continue to hone in on each other and have each other’s backs.”

Alabama (5-2, 2-2 SEC) had plenty to work on as it returned to the practice field on Tuesday, as the Crimson Tide has not played well in the month of October. But whether the recent skid or UA taking down No. 2 Georgia at home, DeBoer has the same, even-keeled mindset.

“He doesn’t really change who he is,” Bernard said. “He’s always the same person, and that’s what you’ve gotta love about a coach like that.”

Bernard has been with DeBoer for two years now after following the coach to Tuscaloosa from Washington. The junior wideout described how DeBoer has responded to adversity.

“Coach DeBoer, he is a guy with a resilient mindset,” Bernard said. “Throughout any struggles, he’s always gonna have his players’ backs. He’s always gonna encourage us. 

“He knows that we have to do better. He’s just gonna continue to instill in us the things that we need to do to be better and to be better in practice, be better off the field, be more disciplined with the things that we need off the field. Like just making sure we’re checking in on time, making sure we’re getting to meetings on time and things like that. 

“I think that with the mindset that he has, our team – we still have everything in front of us that we want. I think we will accomplish that.”

Alabama can still reach the College Football Playoff, but it cannot afford to lose another game to achieve its postseason goals. To stay in the hunt, the Tide must win out, and that starts with its top-25 matchup with Missouri on Saturday, Oct. 26. Alabama had a good start to the week in its first practice, but maintaining that through the weekend will be critical.

“I feel like we responded good,” Latham said. “We had a great practice today, guys coming out, flying around. We’ve just gotta stack days now. If we can Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and then on Saturday, we’ll be able to put a whole 60-minute ballgame together.”

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