Everything Kalen DeBoer said to kick off Oklahoma game week

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer kicked off Oklahoma game week with a press conference on Monday afternoon. The No. 7 Crimson Tide will travel to Norman, Oklahoma take on the Sooners on Saturday, Nov. 23, at 6:30 p.m. CT (on ABC).

Below is everything DeBoer said during his Monday press conference of game week No. 11.

DeBoer’s opening statement…

“Just really pleased with the focus leading up to the game on Saturday through the week of preparation. I think our team really understands that that’s where it’s all at. That preparation leads to the confidence, the confidence leads to the success that you get on Saturdays. Just added to that,  just to see a lot of guys get to step on the football field, many for their first time — and I really enjoy how the older guys, the experienced guys, the ones that get a lot of playing time, really relish that time to be able to get some new faces and the ones that put in just as much work as they do get a chance to go out there and enjoy a moment or two. Even if that’s all it is. Some guys got their first snaps in college football, especially here at Alabama. So really cool.

“Moving forward to Oklahoma. A chance for us to go on the road and get to prove it again, that we’ve got what it takes. It’s going to take a great week of preparation. A physical football team all around. Their defense is, I think, an extremely tough defense in all ways. Just what they do with their scheme and then with their personnel, the way they fly around. We’ll have to get ready for their offense with a couple of quarterbacks, potentially. Some skilled players. You look at the games they’ve played, a lot of close games going into the second half and even into the fourth quarter. The Missouri game was obviously a crazy ending and some plays made both ways just in the final two minutes.

“Each and every game takes on its own life. For us, all we’re focused on is the next play and for us the next game and everything that goes into being our best. And that’s what the recipe for success has been here over the last month.”

DeBoer on special teams senior analyst Jay Nunez…

“I had never worked with Jay Nunez, but I had been at Southern Illinois and then soon after he came in there. You stay in touch with coaches that you worked with. And then I went to Eastern Michigan, and then after I left there he went to Eastern as well. The name kept following kind of where I was at, not necessarily obviously in my position, but just seemed to be a guy that really the staff related to well. Heard nothing but great things, and then when it came to production, just the variety of things that he did mostly with special teams but also coaching positions, just a really, really great football coach.

“I think what he does for us in bringing things together for our team, he touches pretty much every player. Coaching the special teams. Every player is in those meetings at some point throughout the week. He does a good job of just relating to them. He keeps them excited about special teams and understanding the significance, not just to our team now but the value it can bring them as they continue their careers well beyond their days here at Alabama. He’s done a great job but I had identified him over the years as a guy that’s done the right things and gone through the ladder of coaching at different levels. Just really pleased with what he’s doing for us right now on special teams.”

DeBoer on William Sanders and Kevin Riley…

“The thing I really noticed is you don’t get to see him on the field much on Saturdays, or at all, I think he got a snap in on Saturday. The cool thing was he was just as happy to let other guys go out there who will probably not get many chances in the rest of their career, to go out there in the football field and took advantage of his opportunity. But he works so hard and he is becoming extremely strong in the weight room, and that’s only going to translate to him being really comfortable when his time comes here. And he’s got to be ready anytime, but in the days and the next spring and moving forward. But he’s got a great attitude, great personality about him. I think he really enjoys being here.

“Kevin, explosive guy. I think he’s learning a lot from the upperclassmen: Justice and Jam, just as far as what it takes to come in every day and have that workman-like mentality. So Coach (Gillespie) has coached him up, he gets out there and you feel very comfortable with him that he’s gonna know what to what his job responsibility is on any play. So really like what those two guys are doing right now in our program as they develop.” 

DeBoer on the reaction to playing walk-ons against Mercer… 

“There’s not a lot of glitz and glamor to what they do. But it was brought forward to me here just a little bit ago (Tyler Booker) making comments. Of course, I heard the comments he made in the locker room after the game, but just comments that different players have made publicly, just getting brought to my attention before I came and spoke with you. And that’s what makes me proud is that our guys that are playing on Saturdays understand how much work is being put in by the walk-ons, by the underclassmen. Our team was so excited when those guys were getting a chance to get out there and make the play. And I think those are special times and just continue to bring your team closer and closer together.” 

DeBoer on if he expected Wommack’s defense to force turnovers at this rate…

“Yeah, I did. I think, with the nature of some of the things that he really liked to do, and I think this year for for Kane there’s been a been a combination of trying to incorporate what you’ve done in the past, but also adjusting to your personnel and maybe where your strengths are with our defense right now. I think that’s always been the case. You evolve as a coach based on where you’re at with what that program has, with its personnel that are in place and what you bring in as you recruit. 

“But he did that in Indiana. I remember that. And not just when I was there, but following and he just he adapts. He can adjust. He does that in the course of a game. He’s done that in the course of our season. He and the staff have really done a good job gelling, working together. They tap into each other’s strengths. Football coaches all have a different take on things at times, and I think he’s done a great job at gelling, and you can see the development of our defense happening and I think that’s attributed to his leadership.” 

DeBoer on Jalen Milroe’s 15/15 season; how he’s coached him to be a dual threat…

“I think it just starts with doing what’s best for the team, and that’s what Jalen is all about. That’s really what I think triggers him to want to win, and here’s how we got to win. You know, there’s gonna be times where you got to throw the ball, there’s times where you got to run and just reps over and over and over again. He’s, I think, back in a really good spot with trust in the guys around him, there’s been a little more continuity with the practice, skill players, offensive line. There’s just been more of that. He’s become more comfortable in understanding what our team needs from him to be able to win SEC football games.” 

DeBoer on Keon Sabb’s progress… 

“He had his surgery and was away from us for a few days there, but he’s just a guy that really has grown relationships with the team, and we want him around here. He’s one of those guys, like the others that are done for the year too, that care so much about this team and we care about him. As far as a timeline I can’t give that to you right now. I know it would be obviously through this season, but we expect him back and ready to roll for next year, of course. But that’s just something that, I see him and I love what his commitment level to our program and we want to support him as he goes through these times. Injuries are hard for guys, this isn’t their only identity, but this is a big part of what they do.” 

DeBoer on the team’s growth in road environments…

“You learn from your experiences. Understand what it takes, the preparation. A lot of it’s the offensive side of the ball. Making sure with the noise that your process is good, good with procedures, good with getting calls made and all that kind of stuff. It was only a week ago or so that we were in that environment, and we’re preparing again to get ready for what’s going to be a great atmosphere there in Oklahoma.”

DeBoer on ignoring outside noise…

“Yeah, I mean we don’t really talk about the outside. We just focus on what we’re doing right now. We know if we don’t take care of our business, it doesn’t matter. That, I guess seems simple. I hope it’s simple for our guys, even though I understand the distractions and the noise is out there everywhere. I think we really honed in and the guys really believe on, and have understood the significance of really focusing on where we’re at right now. We talk about the next play is the most important play, the next game is the most important game. We haven’t thought anything beyond Oklahoma. I even go back to this last week, I think our guys did a great job of just focusing on Mercer. I really do. I think they really honed in on trying to make themselves the best they can be, continue to get better, and that will put is in position to where then now playing Oklahoma, we give ourselves a better chance to win. We’re really, I think locked in on the right things right now.”

DeBoer on his teams’ previous November success…

“Just preaching the things that I kind of discussed here, always about improving. I think there’s an offseason element to it, where you’re really putting in the work to be able to be strong going into the season, but then there’s an in-season program to where we’re continuing to get stronger as a football team. You might adjust the schedule here and there just to stay fresh. You know, we’re building more and more reps as we play each game, and so it’s five minutes maybe is all, that you take off of practice. Our guys are working extremely hard in the weight room, our numbers would show we’re getting stronger there. Then I think the other part just goes, again to what I said earlier, we call it relentless pursuit of continuous improvement. As you improve, it leads to the rewards that you get in November. These are the big games, these are the ones that are fun to be a part of. The ones that you remember well down the road, as long as they go the right way.”

DeBoer on his consistency; where he got it…

“I don’t know if I picked it up anywhere, it’s just I’ve never been this over emotional type of, even when you just go back to your playing days, to me it was just about being consistent. You make a play as a player, you just move onto the next one. Things don’t go your way, you move onto the next one, so just being consistent day to day. As a leader, that’s what the people around you need, is someone they can count on and know what to expect when you show up to work the next day, or show up to practice. When things aren’t perfect in a game, that consistency in a game, a player’s not gonna be nervous about coming to you. It doesn’t mean you don’t get frustrated, upset. The biggest thing is people are gonna make mistakes, correct it. Don’t do it again. We’ll be just fine, and we’re all human, I think if I can live it and show consistency that way, that will hopefully trickle down to your staff and to your team. There’s many different ways to lead in a great way, I really feel that way. That’s just the one that fits who I am as a person.”

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