ATLANTA, Ga. – As Alabama appears to be like to enhance upon final 12 months’s 9-4 report in its second season below head coach Kalen DeBoer, these inside the program are well-aware of the lofty expectations however say they enter this season with a higher sense of consolation surrounding this system’s future below DeBoer.
“I really feel like particularly final 12 months, it’s laborious, man,” Alabama linebacker Deontae Lawson advised ESPN on Wednesday at SEC media days. “You are coming from Coach Saban to educate DeBoer, everybody – everybody – goes to have one thing to say. Everybody needs to know, ‘How’s the brand new coach?’ or, ‘What is the distinction?’ or one thing like that. However yeah man, we had been all for Coach DeBoer. I keep in mind he walked in – the primary day he walked in – all of us sat up in our chairs able to go. And from that day all of us been on the DeBoer prepare, in all probability extra now than ever.”
Final 12 months, Alabama misplaced 4 video games and completed exterior the Related Press Prime 10 for the primary time since 2007. It was the third time in 11 seasons the Tide missed the playoff, this time ending No. 11 within the choice committee’s last rating however getting bumped from the 12-team subject to make room for three-loss ACC champion Clemson.
Whereas preseason favourite Texas has garnered essentially the most highlight right here on the School Soccer Corridor of Fame, the place media days are being held, there is a quiet confidence brewing at Alabama.
“We’re ravenous,” Lawson stated. “We’re not hungry, we’re like ravenous. And that is totally different. That is totally different. … Simply to see nobody switch out of right here when the time got here, man, it simply exhibits you that we acquired guys that is prepared to do what they should do to make us essentially the most profitable group that we will be. I am simply tremendous excited. I do know the blokes are prepared, and we go at it with one another day-after-day, and I am positive all of us cannot wait till we see a unique shade jersey regardless that we have not even acquired into camp but.”
DeBoer stated he is spending much less time constructing the tradition of this system and extra time breaking down what occurred within the 4 losses final 12 months, and the way they will function when sure conditions occur.
“That is the place we have now to be higher,” he stated. “as a result of we fell quick, five- six- seven-point losses. It is one play right here, one play there which may have modified the outlook of the sport.
“In some circumstances, it wasn’t one thing anybody was doing fallacious, it was simply, ‘Man, be higher,'” he stated. “It isn’t on the gamers, it is not on the coaches, it is simply reps. Repetitions. Simply do extra collectively, extra time collectively helps you’re feeling extra snug.”
Even with a brand new quarterback and a well-recognized face in first-year offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, who was with DeBoer at Washington, DeBoer stated his intestine feeling about this 12 months’s group is just having a greater sense of who it’s.
“You continue to do not know Week 1 precisely what it is gonna seem like, proper?” he stated. “… I do know what I’ve acquired with these guys. It does not assure you something however it provides you optimism, quite a lot of pleasure, and proceed to maintain it honed in and headed in the proper route all collectively.”
DeBoer has stated that if the season began right now, Simpson can be the starter, however he continued to emphasize that he might be monitoring all the quarterbacks’ throws at practices, and watching their poise and management. Simpson, essentially the most skilled of the bunch, accomplished 58 % of his passes for 381 yards in three seasons at Alabama. Austin Mack was with DeBoer at Washington earlier than following him to Alabama, the place he went 2-for-3 for 39 yards and a landing in his lone look final season. Incoming freshman Keelon Russell was the No. 2 general recruit on this 12 months’s ESPN 300 and was the 2024 Gatorade Excessive College Soccer Participant of the Yr.
DeBoer stated Simpson does not wish to let anybody down — virtually to a fault — and desires to ensure the younger quarterback is aware of that, “when you’ve given every part you’ve, you are not letting us down as a result of he did not convert a 3rd down, or did not have a drive that led to a landing. … you do not have to dwell in that, the concern of failure.”
“Whenever you’re not skilled … typically you’re feeling like, ‘Man, I wish to go make that play,’ and it is not the proper calculated danger to take,” DeBoer stated, “… or issues occur a bit of quicker as a result of you do not have sufficient of these reps, however he is completed an incredible job. He is working laborious to ensure he is caring for the soccer, main us. He is clearly an incredible teammate.”
Alabama offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor stated he is assured within the cross safety “for whoever’s again there” at quarterback. He, too, stated he is assured in DeBoer, whom he stated shares among the similar qualities as former legendary coach Nick Saban.
“I knew that our athletic director wasn’t simply going to decide on anyone to have this place,” Proctor stated, “and if coach DeBoer being there’s the proper match, then I am behind it.”