Everything Kalen DeBoer said after Alabama's first spring scrimmage

Alabama held its first scrimmage of the spring on Thursday at the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields. The scrimmage lasted 115 plays with the first and second teams playing 50 snaps apiece.

After the game-like practice in Tuscaloosa, Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer spoke to reporters in the team’s indoor facility. Below is everything DeBoer said after Scrimmage 1.

DeBoer’s opening statement…

“Got a really good scrimmage in today. Fifteen with the threes – gotta work backwards, right – and 50 with ones and twos. So got 115 plays in altogether. Hit the numbers we wanted as far as the goal there. It was really good back and forth. 

“Specialists got some times that they got in the opportunities to get their kicks in. I thought both of them, especially Talty, getting in there in some field goal opportunities, he made all his kicks, PATs. So did a nice job there, which is an important part of the game. Something you kind of talk about offense and defense a lot, you forget about that part, and it’s critical, especially in the big moments. 

“So just a lot of give and take. Some guys up front did a nice job getting in the backfield at times. I thought we were consistent in the run game offensively. We held out a few guys beyond the injuries that have been from the beginning. A couple of guys that got a few nicks, just giving more opportunity for some young guys to go out there and show us what they got. 

“So we’ll have a scrimmage next Friday again, and then we’ll scrimmage – we scrimmage multiple times whenever we put full pads on, so it’s controlled. We’ll do that a couple times next week with the big one on Friday, and then we’ll get into the final week leading up to A-Day. We’ll have a scrimmage there on Thursday actually before the Saturday A-Day. And just like to be controlled. 

“Again, we’ve got some number issues at a couple positions, and so want to make sure we get the right guys reps to where the whole team can get value, and also not put a guy in a spot where he doesn’t know what he’s doing or can’t execute the level that we need to challenge maybe someone across from him and get a quality rep from even the other side of the ball. 

“I liked what I saw. I thought there was a lot of improvement through this week, and that’s what you’ve got to have. It was only two practices, but I thought it was two good ones. Beautiful day out there. How can you not enjoy it?”

DeBoer on how Alabama’s three quarterbacks looked…

“I thought today, as far as just accuracy, there was maybe two balls – one was a really short pass that you really want to see completed, and then one that was an opportunity for an explosive play that we missed. Otherwise, I would just probably guess that we were somewhere where you want to be percentage-wise. I don’t know 60-65 percent between the three of them. 

“All of them are getting their opportunities to lead with the different groups – ones and twos, in particular. I thought they handled the checks and the things as far as managing the game. That’s a lot of it. And then going out there and making plays. 

“So I feel like they were more comfortable today, and I think a lot of it is you put in a specific set of calls that they feel good with, so you can have a successful scrimmage, and I think the offensive staff did that for them.”

DeBoer on if he is starting to see separation among the quarterbacks…

“I think it’s pretty consistent from where it was from the beginning,” DeBoer said. “They all bring something a little bit different to the table, even though it’s not like maybe a runner and a passer. It’s guys doing their thing and what their strengths are – catchable balls and things like that that they do really well. Making maybe field throws. One guy that does that a little bit more. One does a little better job of scrambling. 

“I think they’re all learning from each other, though, and taking something from each other’s game and applying it to theirs and seeing that there’s always a way to make this play happen or that play happen.

“I thought they did a good job keeping their eyes downfield and hit some explosives, and kept the chains moving on some third and fourth downs that were critical. That shows good composure.

“We threw a lot at them the first couple of practices, and now, I think they’re getting into a groove. And again, we dialed back a little bit for the scrimmage, and we’ll keep throwing stuff back on them. The installs were heavy from both sides. So offense is installing, defense installing, and then you’re facing what you’re seeing, not just what you’re supposed to execute on your side. 

“So today was good. Kept it not at an elementary level, but not at the expert level either, as far as what we were putting on their plate.”

DeBoer on which position group has made the biggest strides so far…

“I think the group that is coming along and different than what we had last year was the receiving corps. And I know some of those guys are the same guys, but I think the depth of them, of that group is certainly evident. Today, they made more of those plays and were very consistent, I thought. 

“I think the defensive backfield is something that is just completely different than what it was a year ago at this time. I know they got better throughout the season, so I don’t want to say that they’re drastically approving right now. But they’re definitely playing with a lot of confidence. And so that matchup, whether it’s one-on-ones or seven-on-seven that we do throughout the practices, and then today in the scrimmage, that matchup is really great to see. You see big plays being made on both sides. You see the competitiveness, and that iron sharpens iron pieces, making both sides of the ball better. So those skill areas, I think, are improving a lot from where we were at a year ago.”

DeBoer on Jaylen Mbakwe’s transition to wide receiver…

“I think the thing I like about where he’s at right now is his head is in a good place. He’s just working and getting better. And the whole room has improved, right? I mean, from top to bottom, and so it’s competitive. But he’s getting in there and taking advantage of the reps he has. And that’s what you want to do right now at this time. So he got some good reps out there again today.”

DeBoer on the job Maurice Linguist does with the defensive backs…

“We really had only one, if I remember right, one scholarship corner a year ago returning from the season before, and played a lot of young guys, new guys. Domani wasn’t necessarily a freshman, but new guys to the program, and so developed confidence. Now that room, all of a sudden, has got a high ceiling, but we’ve created a lot of depth there. 

“And the thing I also like is between the corner and safety room, there’s interchangeable pieces, and so there’s kind of a dual training that exists. And you see Red Morgan can play multiple spots. And I’m just thinking about what the fan base would have seen a year ago, and he was in different spots, safety, corner. Zay Mincey moved right at the end of the season from corner to safety. And so we have multiple guys that can do a lot of those things. 

“Probably still don’t have the numbers you’d like in that room, just because it is so competitive. The right guys coming in is important for us. but because they’re all really good football players, the quality of that room and us feeling comfortable with them certainly is in a good spot.”

DeBoer on Linguist as a recruiter…

“He’s phenomenal. He’s just a guy in the building, first of all, that brings just good juice and energy. And he’s a pleasure to be around. If you’re the head coach, a staff member, and then that is certainly seen by our players and felt by our players. And then in the recruiting process, I just think he’s attractive for a parent, for their son to want to come here and be coached, because they’re cared for, they’re loved, they’re taught at an extremely high level. He does just such a great job in all those ways. 

“So it’s personality mixed with ability and the want to. He’s a guy with a lot of drive, and he’s got a high expectation, so he gets after them. But it’s some tough love that he brings, and they appreciate that, because they want the same thing as he does, it’s to be their best.”

DeBoer on how he wants to grow going into his second season at Alabama…

“I think a lot of it is just been at a lot of times right over your career, whether it’s head coach or an assistant coach, Year 2 always just feels different, right? You know the guys. You understand now and have gone through experiences together. And they know where you’re coming from when you come to them, good or bad, and you know what they’ve been through and what they’re experiencing. 

“So I think a lot of it’s just the next step of the relationships leading to just the passion coming out and myself, our staff, and the expectations aren’t changing. It’s just that everyone is, and especially after a season like last year, got another level of hunger to make sure we get back to where we expect to be. And it’s been a joy out there because the guys know where I come from and coach them up. I know where they got to get better. I’ve been articulating that, our staff articulates that to them, and we hold them to that expectation.”

DeBoer on summer enrollee Chuck McDonald…

“He’s going to come in and fit right in with the group because he brings length. That’s the thing that just jumps out at you right now is, across the board, we got some guys that maybe don’t have the extreme height, but our length in the secondary has changed a lot. And Chuck will come add to that. And he comes from a great program, a lot of experience playing at a high level. I think that transition for a guy like Chuck, it’s shown through the guys that have come out of great programs in the past. Mater Dei, in particular. He’s going to come in and do his thing. And he’s got some guys that I know here, he knows them well, and so I’m extremely confident they will push him along, bring him along, and he’ll fit right in pretty quickly.”

DeBoer on what he encourages McDonald to work through before enrolling…

“I just focus on him and take care of his business with the things he’s got to take care of on that end. And he’s into it. He’s a guy that loves ball, and so I know he’s refining physically and mentally and trying to stay up to speed with what we’re doing right now and talking to his teammates and going to be ready when the summer hits.”

DeBoer on the A-Day announcement, what people might expect to see on April 12…

“We’ll have more of a practice, a full practice like we would have any day. It allows us to kind of have a controlled setting, control the reps that certain guys get. We understand the significance. Everyone loves football here. We want to give that day and make it available, show off our guys, go do their thing.

“It’s really, to me, not about the portal concern that I know everyone makes it out to be. It’s just that we’re really careful out there, we ran a lot of reps, but we were very specific. Sometimes you almost had to stop things to get the right groups of people matched up and things like that to have a quality rep for all 22 guys that are on the football field. That practice type environment is something that I think best accomplishes both the things for the fans that we want to do with A-Day and also for our football team, utilizing practice 15 and continuing to get better.

“I think it’s really important for our guys to get in front of fans. I remember a year ago when we came out – this year we have 18 new freshmen and also have some transfer that are here, and this is their first time in Bryant-Denny with people. I think that’s a huge benefit for us. I remember seeing some guys a little bit like ‘wow,’ eyes wide open. That’s a huge benefit for us because throughout the fall and in fall camp we won’t experience that to the extent like we will here in a couple weeks.

“Then also just some time from a fan appreciation standpoint where the people can get up close to our guys, see their role models up close, get a signature or picture or things like that.”

DeBoer on if he’s interested in practicing with other schools like Colorado is proposing…

“If we couldn’t do the scrimmage – and I guess it’s a little easier if it’s just one side of the ball at that time. But to me, if we’re just concerned about the reps amongst ourselves at this point, this year, I definitely wouldn’t be wanting to have that type of scrimmage. I think every program can do what they want to do, to me it’s about us making ourselves better. 

“I think there are some things, like in the NFL, has their times during fall camp. They might go to a certain team that gives the certain fronts and coverages or a certain style of offense that they maybe won’t see much from their own team during their preparation at fall camp or OTAs or whatever it might be. There’s benefits to that, I’ve thought about that. When you would do that is a little up in the air, and we’ll continue to evolve. We’ll continue to adjust. The answer I give you right now might not be the same answer I give you down the road as we develop.

“But I think we’re still recovering from a little bit of – I mean, all these injuries that happened, a lot was from last season, for the most part. So that’s just where we’re at right now. But it’s also the positive, and that’s the way we’re always gonna look at it, is there’s a lot of young guys that are getting a ton of reps, being put in uncomfortable positions. And that’s good. That’s how the growth happens.”

DeBoer on how he’d evaluate the offensive line after the first scrimmage…

“I thought today was actually probably one of their better days. I don’t know if it was the best day. The film will show that when I look at it more closely. But they were more consistent, just run game, pass game. We created some seams at times. So I think that they were the most consistent. They were solid in protection, gave the quarterback some time. I think the quarterbacks got a little more comfortable back there. And then the run game, I thought we were more physical than we’ve been. 

“So it shows up a little bit more because we were live and taking to the ground, and so the running backs find those seams. And when you’re thudding and just maybe in shells and staying up, it’s a little harder to get engaged. But it showed up in a good way. And again, maybe the film will show a little bit something different, but the vibe I have right now was that it was a positive day for them.”

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