Kalen DeBoer makes startling admission after loss to Tennessee that should concern Alabama fans
Kalen DeBoer DeVonta Smith
After the game, DeBoer was asked what his message is to Alabama’s players after the program suffered its second loss of the season.
The former Washington head coach told reporters that he told his team that he’s “not good” at delivering speeches after a loss.
“I told them in there these are the speeches I’m not good at,” said DeBoer. “You gotta look inward first and make sure that everything you are doing is right. Anyone that you sense that has any type of questioning, you gotta to make sure you bring them with. The thing that I know is that with our guys, there are enough that know exactly what you are talking about to where it eats at them. We gotta to continue to mesh the vets with the new guys. The ones that need to continue to understand what this program stands for and what it is all about.
Look, no one loves delivering a speech or addressing a locker room after a loss. It’s a tough moment for any coach — especially after a rivalry game. But if you’re going to be a coach in the SEC for very long, you better be good at those types of speeches. The loss to Tennessee has to galvanize Alabama if they’re going to turn their season around. But it seems unlikely that will be with the case with the way the Crimson Tide have played since their loss to Vanderbilt (Bama could’ve easily lost at home to South Carolina last week).
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava told reporters after the win against Alabama that he felt like the Vols became closer in the locker room after their surprising loss to Arkansas earlier this month.
It seems like the opposite is happening in Tuscaloosa. And DeBoer’s inexperience with coaching a team that’s going through a tough stretch is probably a big reason why that’s the case.
You might dismiss DeBoer saying he’s not good at speeches after a loss as a non-issue. But it’s worth pointing out that DeBoer has never had to coach a team (especially a team under the microscope) through a tough stretch. DeBoer has coached 123 games at the collegiate level and he’s lost just 14 of those. And nine of those losses came at Sioux Falls and Fresno State where no one really noticed.
DeBoer hasn’t had to guide a team through public adversity like this. And he’s having to learn on the job while under the watchful eye of a fan base that is accustomed to winning national championships, not losing to Vanderbilt.
I’m not saying that DeBoer is going to be a disaster at Alabama — it’s his first season after all — but he’s clearly not going to just pick up where Nick Saban left off. DeBoer still has a lot of learning to do as a head coach. And he has a lot of growing to do if he’s going to find longterm success in the SEC.
Oct 19, 2024; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) passes the ball against the Tennessee Volunteers during the first quarter at Neyland Stadium.
Tennessee Vols
Zach Ragan
Oct 20, 2024 8:43 AM EDT
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer made a comment after his team’s 24-17 loss to the Tennessee Vols on Saturday night that should concern folks in Tuscaloosa.
The Crimson Tide held Tennessee scoreless in the first half before giving up 24 points to the Vols in the second half.
After the game, DeBoer was asked what his message is to Alabama’s players after the program suffered its second loss of the season.
The former Washington head coach told reporters that he told his team that he’s “not good” at delivering speeches after a loss.
“I told them in there these are the speeches I’m not good at,” said DeBoer. “You gotta look inward first and make sure that everything you are doing is right. Anyone that you sense that has any type of questioning, you gotta to make sure you bring them with. The thing that I know is that with our guys, there are enough that know exactly what you are talking about to where it eats at them. We gotta to continue to mesh the vets with the new guys. The ones that need to continue to understand what this program stands for and what it is all about.
Look, no one loves delivering a speech or addressing a locker room after a loss. It’s a tough moment for any coach — especially after a rivalry game. But if you’re going to be a coach in the SEC for very long, you better be good at those types of speeches. The loss to Tennessee has to galvanize Alabama if they’re going to turn their season around. But it seems unlikely that will be with the case with the way the Crimson Tide have played since their loss to Vanderbilt (Bama could’ve easily lost at home to South Carolina last week).
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava told reporters after the win against Alabama that he felt like the Vols became closer in the locker room after their surprising loss to Arkansas earlier this month.
It seems like the opposite is happening in Tuscaloosa. And DeBoer’s inexperience with coaching a team that’s going through a tough stretch is probably a big reason why that’s the case.
You might dismiss DeBoer saying he’s not good at speeches after a loss as a non-issue. But it’s worth pointing out that DeBoer has never had to coach a team (especially a team under the microscope) through a tough stretch. DeBoer has coached 123 games at the collegiate level and he’s lost just 14 of those. And nine of those losses came at Sioux Falls and Fresno State where no one really noticed.
DeBoer hasn’t had to guide a team through public adversity like this. And he’s having to learn on the job while under the watchful eye of a fan base that is accustomed to winning national championships, not losing to Vanderbilt.
I’m not saying that DeBoer is going to be a disaster at Alabama — it’s his first season after all — but he’s clearly not going to just pick up where Nick Saban left off. DeBoer still has a lot of learning to do as a head coach. And he has a lot of growing to do if he’s going to find longterm success in the SEC.
Oct 19, 2024; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) passes the ball against the Tennessee Volunteers during the first quarter at Neyland Stadium.
Tennessee Vols
Zach Ragan
Oct 20, 2024 8:43 AM EDT
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer made a comment after his team’s 24-17 loss to the Tennessee Vols on Saturday night that should concern folks in Tuscaloosa.
The Crimson Tide held Tennessee scoreless in the first half before giving up 24 points to the Vols in the second half.
After the game, DeBoer was asked what his message is to Alabama’s players after the program suffered its second loss of the season.
The former Washington head coach told reporters that he told his team that he’s “not good” at delivering speeches after a loss.
“I told them in there these are the speeches I’m not good at,” said DeBoer. “You gotta look inward first and make sure that everything you are doing is right. Anyone that you sense that has any type of questioning, you gotta to make sure you bring them with. The thing that I know is that with our guys, there are enough that know exactly what you are talking about to where it eats at them. We gotta to continue to mesh the vets with the new guys. The ones that need to continue to understand what this program stands for and what it is all about.
Look, no one loves delivering a speech or addressing a locker room after a loss. It’s a tough moment for any coach — especially after a rivalry game. But if you’re going to be a coach in the SEC for very long, you better be good at those types of speeches. The loss to Tennessee has to galvanize Alabama if they’re going to turn their season around. But it seems unlikely that will be with the case with the way the Crimson Tide have played since their loss to Vanderbilt (Bama could’ve easily lost at home to South Carolina last week).
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava told reporters after the win against Alabama that he felt like the Vols became closer in the locker room after their surprising loss to Arkansas earlier this month.
It seems like the opposite is happening in Tuscaloosa. And DeBoer’s inexperience with coaching a team that’s going through a tough stretch is probably a big reason why that’s the case.
You might dismiss DeBoer saying he’s not good at speeches after a loss as a non-issue. But it’s worth pointing out that DeBoer has never had to coach a team (especially a team under the microscope) through a tough stretch. DeBoer has coached 123 games at the collegiate level and he’s lost just 14 of those. And nine of those losses came at Sioux Falls and Fresno State where no one really noticed.
DeBoer hasn’t had to guide a team through public adversity like this. And he’s having to learn on the job while under the watchful eye of a fan base that is accustomed to winning national championships, not losing to Vanderbilt.
I’m not saying that DeBoer is going to be a disaster at Alabama — it’s his first season after all — but he’s clearly not going to just pick up where Nick Saban left off. DeBoer still has a lot of learning to do as a head coach. And he has a
lot of growing to do if he’s going to find longterm success in the SEC.
Leave a Reply