Everything Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said while at the Senior Bowl

MOBILE, Ala. – Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer stopped by Hancock Whitney Stadium on Tuesday to watch the Crimson Tide contingent go through their first Senior Bowl practice. Prior to that, DeBoer spoke to reporters. Below is everything DeBoer said in Mobile.

DeBoer on what he tells players about professional football…

“It’s their goal and their dreams and a lot of why they come to Alabama. They just know that the development, the opportunities that exist there are gonna help prepare them for the next level. With all the tradition, history that surrounds Alabama players going on to the NFL, it’s what they work for. And the thing that I have really enjoyed is the respect our guys for each other and the path and the journey they’re on in the midst of trying to keep the team first while you’re trying to win championships.”

DeBoer on his takeaways from Year 1, things he’s looking to in the spring…

“We know that we need to be better. That’s the expectation I had from Day 1, is that we perform at a championship level, and we certainly fell short of that. Whether you’re 0-12 or 12-0 in a regular season, you’re always gonna really critique and be detailed on how you’ve gotta improve. I appreciate what our staff is doing, what our players are doing to really look inward, work together and continue to move forward.

“There’s a lot of good things already happening. It already feels a lot different internally as we turn the page into 2025, from the first team meeting, which was less than two weeks after our last bowl game. Just excited about what’s happening, the work that’s being put in. I haven’t had a chance to be around the guys a lot just because we’ve been on the road recruiting. You only get a few days here, especially as a head coach, the only time of the year now in January you can get out.

“Really excited about the momentum we have with so many players choosing to continue their career here and build the stock that they have to get to the level that we’re talking about, going to the NFL.”

DeBoer on what he’s seen from Ty Simpson’s patience; how rare that is…

“You certainly appreciate what he’s done. Just continued to work on what he can control, and that’s himself. Continued to build relationships to get ready for this chance that he has right in front of him. To not just step up as a leader because I think he’s been doing that, but to have that opportunity to step in and be the quarterback.”

DeBoer on what he liked about assistant defensive backs coach Jason Jones…

“A lot of things. There was a lot of it. It actually kind of surprised me when I brought his name up to a few members of the coaching staff. Didn’t realize there were as many connections, and when I dove into those connections a little bit more, just the same things kept coming out about who he is as a person, how great he is. It’s all facets, the recruiting, the Xs and Os, just with the player development piece.

“And then him being local and someone who is an alum as an added bonus. It didn’t have to be that way, but it certainly something I know he was excited about, speaking on his behalf, too, there. Just an all-around team player in everything. We were looking for the right kind of combination as we work into the defensive backs and the coaching of that group as a whole. We love what we got there with Mo Linguist and now Jason Jones.”

DeBoer on how he would characterize Alabama’s quarterback room…

“Probably the biggest thing is there’s just not a lot of snaps that have been taken on a college football field. But I also feel like the skillset’s there, there’s very strong strengths that we have and excited about them being similar in a lot of ways. Of course, everyone’s different. They’ve got the things that they bring to the table. But they all three just work together, and that’s really led to workouts already that they’re running that sound like they’ve been very efficient and got a lot of work done. But I’m excited about what they all bring to the table. Can’t wait to get back on campus here in February and work with them.”

DeBoer on if he has considered adding Ryan Grubb to his coaching staff…

“We go way back. He’s a great friend of mine. I think the world of him as a football coach. Obviously as a person, too. I know he’s working through his process after what last season brought. Just kind of seeing what he does there and here for him whenever he needs me. That’s always gonna be the case.”

DeBoer on Deontae Lawson returning to Alabama in 2025…

“That was big. First and foremost, we wanted what was best for Deontae, and unfortunately, with the injury, and him, I think in his mind – in fact, I know in his mind – this was it. He was excited about moving onto the next level. But life throws you curveballs, and he got that. The emotions of the injury and things like that kind of let him kind of work through it, and I think he just really realized that the best course of action, what was best for him was to come back. 

“That of course is exciting for us. A team captain, a guy who’s so well-respected in the locker room and well-respected by the fanbase and just that type of leader at the linebacker, the guy who makes the calls, just that familiarity with everything, whether it’s us with him or him with his teammates, it allows us, again, another one of those things that helps us hit the ground running.”

DeBoer on Ryan Williams’ first season, where he has to go in Year 2…

“Well, a year ago this time we were pretty excited about the commitment, right, and that’s what it was, that he had made to come play football at Alabama. And you got into the summer, and you’re like, ‘Wow, this is fun working with him.’ And then we saw what he can do in the season. I know that he’s got much higher goals than what he accomplished this year, and that’s individually and as a team.

“I’m really excited about him taking the next steps as a leader now. He’s gonna take care of his business and do what he needs to do, and we’re gonna be there to help him refine the things that are gonna make him the best of the best. But he’s a team player through and through. We saw that all season long.

“He and Germ kind of coming back as the leaders of the receiving corps, I’m excited about what they bring from a mindset. When your best players are your best people and highest-character guys, it’s exciting what it can become. So we have that at the receiving corps. We’ve added some guys, too, with the early enrollees and the newcomers. So I really like the way that that group’s gonna come along under their guidance and leadership.”

DeBoer on how he has seen his recruiting approach change this time around…

“I feel really good about what we did, whether it’s with the high school class or filling in some gaps with our portal. And I think the other piece is just the retention of our own team and feel good about where we’re at there. We have a couple spots we could fill, a few, as the rest of the spring and summer comes along. But we always are gonna tweak things and find ways to make it better. But I like, considering it was the first year, what we accomplished with the high school guys. They are in there working. They’re what we thought they would be, whether it’s athletically or just their character and then the work ethic that comes along. 

“But I think for us, it’s, now that we’ve been here a year, continue to build the relationships locally, in-state, regionally to where we can continue to take advantage of that. And we had relationships, they were just all across the country. We’ll continue to do that because we want the best of the best. We need the best players to come here. That’s what Alabama’s done in the past and what we’ll continue to do. 

“But I think the relationships locally. And the times are limited. Times have changed with the times that coaches can get on the road. It used to be once a week for, really, six weeks if you count December and January, and they really only get two chances really all through January. So we’ve gotta be really efficient. That’s why we’re not here very long, even today. So there’s a couple days left of the contact period that we’re gonna take advantage of.”

DeBoer on if he is in favor of one, 10-day transfer portal window…

“Yeah, I think a smaller window and one window would certainly be ideal. And that’s just more of an understanding of what your roster’s gonna be at this time of the year is what we all want. Just taking the gray out it, the confusion out of it for us, for our players on what’s ahead, and let’s get the development process of your team, of these guys and the work that we can put in, let’s get it all aligned. So yeah, certainly in favor of that.”

DeBoer on his preference of continuing to play Power Four teams in non-conference…

“I think as long as we play – it depends on how many conference games you are playing. We’re at eight right now, and so this next year with Florida State as the opener and then a couple weeks later with Wisconsin, it’s a good, competitive schedule. That’s what we want leading into conference play. So that’s the way we want it. We wanna be challenged and be tested going into SEC action.”

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