Kalen DeBoer, who saw both Texas and Michigan in 2023, on what he expects from UT vs. UM
Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer made a successful debut as Nick Saban‘s successor on Saturday with his Crimson Tide bowling over the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers by a score of 63-0. Though his current focuses are in Tuscaloosa, Ala., DeBoer was previously the head coach of the Washington Huskies.
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His final two opponents during his U-Dub tenure were the Texas Longhorns and the Michigan Wolverines, two schools that will meet this weekend in Ann Arbor, Mich. and two teams he faced last year in the College Football Playoff.
DeBoer, speaking Wednesday on the SEC Coaches Teleconference, spoke about what Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian and Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore try to do with their offensive systems considering he saw both in high-profile games at the end of last season.
“Both have got a physical mindset and mentality that way, understanding that you win the big games by being able to run the football,” DeBoer said. “Without really diving in and understanding what those teams all return, I think there’s probably a little more continuity just in general with no coaching change at Texas.
“I know Coach Moore has probably kept a lot of that continuity in place. Some turnover there with a couple of key positions, especially at quarterback.”
Though DeBoer likely hasn’t put eyes on Texas or Michigan in recent weeks while preparing for his own schedule, he knows what to expect from a game featuring those two teams.
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“I would expect a physical football game,” DeBoer said. “Both teams pride themselves on different wrinkles in different ways. Probably Coach Sark in the passing game and play-calling, and Michigan with Coach Moore and more of the different creative ways to run the football as well. That’s probably just a real general overview of what I would expect without having dove into their teams too much right now.”
