Alabama Football Coach Kalen DeBoer Western Kentucky Postgame Press Conference

Good to get a w to start the year. Uh Just, you know, I told the guys downstairs, uh, every win win, uh there's something that, uh they've worked hard for and make sure we enjoy it. Go back to work. We got a lot of things that we now have on film that we can, we know we can correct and, and uh understand uh the things that we're really good at and the things we need to continue to work on. So, uh proud of the way they came out, started fast, both sides of the ball, you know, feeding off each other thought the energy was great to sustained it all, all game long. And, uh got a lot of guys a chance to play questions, uh two catches, two touchdowns for Ryan Williams. Just what do you think of his performance? Yeah, he's had, he's got that big play capability as uh as you saw and he's done a lot of that in practice and I was excited to see him get out there and big third down, uh down the sideline, great read by uh Jalen with the coverage he was getting and we uh we anticipated a possible route down the sideline in a situation like that. And it was really cool to see those guys execute and Ryan, uh, just, you know, hauling the ball and, and finish and, you know, coming across the middle on the second touchdown just, you know, really focused and it just doesn't seem like the game's too fast for him. So, uh, you know, it's impressive that a guy, you know, his age, uh can go out there and do the things he's doing. You know, obviously we've talked a lot about him. He's got a bright future and really fun to see him go out there and make those plays that he did tonight. So the guys believe in him and, uh, he's just, I think one of the cool things about Ryan is he's gone about it. You know, a lot of attention gets thrown his way, but he's just gone about it and really humble and just, you know, matter of fact, stay the course type of, of, uh, you know, just go to work every type of day attitude and our guys really appreciate that and I think they're just as excited as he is for him. Uh, you know, with the plays that he made today. Yeah, it looked like K Proctor had sustained an injury during warmups. What happened there. What's his status? Yeah, unfortunately, he did. Um, just caught me by surprise obviously and, you know, couldn't, uh, couldn't go tonight and we'll continue to evaluate tomorrow just to see the severity of it and, uh, you know, kind of no more here as the week goes on, on the right side. Yeah, outside of Ryan, you know, Xavian Brown, he got the start. Daniel Hill also got his first career touchdown. I'm just curious, what do you see, you know, from that group of freshmen out there tonight? Yeah, it's really exciting, you know, it gives you a lot of promise, uh, for, for what's to come. And, you know, the thing about those guys is they're just gonna gain more, more confidence with everything that they do and those reps tonight, you know, they all matter. And I tell the guys every rep we're gonna keep getting better as a team, but there are certain guys like the ones you mentioned, Daniel and, uh, you know, Ryan, um, many others, uh, uh, Zaben that just went out there and just didn't seem like the lights were too bright for him and that's really cool and they got again one day at a time, they're just gonna keep getting better and they're gonna be, they're gonna be great players for us, uh, in the long haul. Just how explosive can this offense be? And did you like that? Did you like seeing that or would you have almost rather have a few more sustained drives? Both? I mean, you know, but how can you argue? Right. Uh, you know, there's, there's things that weren't perfect but we made up for it. So now what you want to look at is those plays that didn't go as well and, and really dial in on, you know, some of the mistakes, the penalty here, penalty there. Uh, you know, we had a, we had a, a communication, um, I think we, we didn't snap the ball. I think maybe Parker was trying to, to signal something and, and, uh, get the line locked in and that's just a quarterback center kind of being on the same page and then all of a sudden, you know, it was time to snap the ball. Uh, when Jalen clapped. So just things like that, that we can continue to get better at, but when we had the opportunity to make the plays, you know, I'm never gonna be disappointed that we're finding ways to have explosives. That's a big part of what our offense is about and we preach it, we practice it and, uh, that's, that was, that was fun to see. Uh, I didn't, you know, really realize it until I looked at the time and session maybe, uh, into the first half there a little bit and, uh, our defense, you know, you saw that one drive especially, they were on the field for quite a while that just kind of added to it. Uh, they, you know, I'm never gonna argue though when we, uh, have those big plays, those those touchdowns that we had. Yeah. Coach, I want to ask you about two guys. How did you think Pritchett played on the left side? Given that, I assume he's gotten most of his practice reps on the right side. And also your thoughts on, on Keon Sab's night in the first half, a couple of picks. Yeah, it was, you know, Pritchett. Really, as you said, I mean, he has, and I know you're not there, but he has taken pretty much all his reps at the right tackle spot. You know, I think we really went back to what he did this spring playing left tackle and it was something I know, gave me confidence and I'm sure it gave him and, you know, he and Booker took all those, uh, reps, you know, all spring along for 15 practices. And so I think they just really honed back in on that. Uh, and I, you know, I watched the film but it, obviously there was a lot of good things that happened out there and you don't do that without great offensive line play. So, uh, excited about the way he responded all of a sudden the moment and getting thrown into that position and really just being steady. Uh, Kon SAB, just, you know, the guy that needed, it was at the right spot at the right time and made the plays. You know, that's, that's what it's all about. A lot of guys will be where they need to be and, and all that, but a little special play here and there, um, maybe it goes through their hands, you know, Keyon. Uh, you can just see he was ready for that moment. He pounced, uh, when, when the opportunity came and made some really big, big plays and got our offense in some great field position there early in the game. Coach, a big win but everything outside of the actual game. Walk of Champions, fourth quarter, Dixie and delight. What was your impressions of your first game at Bryant Denny Stadium? Yeah, it was a lot of fun with the Walk of Champions, I think was special for a lot of our players. It's always going to be that way and, uh it's, you know, can't thank our, our fans enough. Uh You can just feel the energy even before, you know, you're not even here around the stadium or, or knowing what's going on, but you can just feel the buzz and that was a lot of fun. Uh, you know, the new guys, I think, especially enjoying it. Uh, the older guys, uh just knowing what it's all about and being in that stadium tonight, you know, we did a great job of giving them something to cheer for and uh our fans were amazing, you know, cheering and I'm being loud so I can't wait to do it again. Uh, a week from now, right here, coach, how do you feel like your staff executed the game plan as a whole on your first game inside Bryant Denny. Can you clarify that in helmet communication at the beginning of the game? What that was about? Yeah, actually, so that it wasn't in, in helmet communication, it was actually that their headsets went down and the rules state that when the opponents headsets go down, you have to take yours down too. And so I don't sure you guys figured it out, but Nick Nick Sheridan play collar up in the booth actually had to come down and so little time, you know, to get him down there and then, you know, that's not something that they're gonna plan for and let you do. But we, we were able to hustle him down and then of course, trying to get him back up there and then theirs went down a second time. And so it was kind of a back and forth. Uh, I thought, I thought our staff did a great job because that's something you don't practice, you know, just, uh, in all my years, I've never had it happen to where we had to put our headphones down because of someone else's. So, maybe it happens more often than I understand, um, and should practice it, but that's, that was a new one for me. Uh, I think also the other one that was new for me was, I think maybe by the third play in the game or one of the early plays we had, but two helmets come off of two of our linemen at the same, the same play. And so all of a sudden we had a different center, left guard and left tackle from what we've practiced all along. So kids did a great job of just adjusting to the adversity, not, not, uh, getting too shaken and just continue to, to play and the next guys were ready to go. So I thought our staff that I think there's some little things. Um we had a substitution error. Uh We got 12 guys on the field one time defensively. Those are certain things that we'll talk about tomorrow. Uh besides breaking down the film and, and coaching our guys up fundamentally and then schematically on the right side, Charlie head coach, it kind of looked like you guys rotated a lot of guys on defense, especially in the back end. Just how beneficial is it to get those guys the experience they got tonight? Yeah, it's huge. It's huge and, and I'm really glad that we got that opportunity and of course, that's part of what we want to do anyway and keeping gash fresh, um being able to sustain a high level for four quarters and not just uh dying off. Uh but, you know, getting, getting a lot of young guys, you know, you say M bak way and Red are out there a lot. Uh And so just, they're right in the rotation and felt good about them being out there. Never really, you know, lots of, sometimes when there's guys you don't trust or anything, your eyes kind of get drawn to them just to make sure that you feel, they feel good and they look confident and, um, that's not even the case. I don't even feel like I gotta worry about whether they're ready to go or not. So, uh the secondary just thought for the most part, they really didn't have big mistakes where all of a sudden someone's running free through the secondary and we just, uh, dropped his own or dropped a man that we're supposed to be covering always things that we can get better at situational ball, uh, some crossers and things like that that I saw in the second half there, maybe that we can, we can get better at covering. But, uh, for the most part, I thought they did a great job. We got three more questions. We're gonna start with Steven right in the middle here. Coach. What, what, what makes it special? Having J Campbell and Deonte a play off each other. Yeah, just having some guys with a lot of confidence in themselves and guys that we have confidence in and just, you know, they're, they're, they're just staples, you know, they're just guys you trust and, uh, they're, they're hard nosed. Uh, they both can, can move, uh, you know, can run really well. Uh, they're physical and so, uh, very smart, a lot of the communication, especially with, uh, Coach Womack to Deonte, you know, he can, he can Deonte can handle what he's supposed to do and, you know, if there's someone we need to have just slightly move, he can make that happen and still constant have a, have an understanding of what's going on in front of him from the offense. So, uh, just all those areas are, are so critical when it's the middle of your defense and they, uh you know, getting, looking, looking forward to watching the film, but it just everything I saw, it seemed like they had a great game. Uh lets go right side, middle Katie sticking with the defense just as a whole. How did you see them kind of embody Kane's swarm defense and sustain intensity to hold on for the shutout? Yeah, I like to never, never say die kind of like just, you know, dig in, uh when they had their backs to the wall, some drives that were coming down the field. Um One was after a, uh a turnover on the offense just, you know, looking at that as an opportunity to, to make a statement, you know, to just let everyone know that, you know, they got, they got that mindset uh that they're gonna play together and, uh, you know, uh it was really cool to see them get the shot out. I was happy for them happy for, happy for Kane. And, uh, you know, they all just, they're all flying around. You know, there was sometimes we maybe missed a tackle but there was guys right there to, uh, follow up and, and go make that play and, and as we said, uh, the two interceptions early in the game really set the tone with key on, uh, both with field position, just momentum and energy. All right, let's finish up with John. I can do, it seems like an awful long time since you got hired before you get to coach your first game. So when, when, when you finally get there and things are clicking so well and offenses make big plays, defense is making a big plays the first half. I mean, was that fun? Was that kind of a re release on your shoulders? What was that like? Yeah, I think there's a little bit of fun at the very end, you know, and, uh, just seeing a lot of the young guys to get out there on the football field and, and, and have some fun of their own and experience it for the first time. But, um, you know, I told the guys in the locker room, none of these points carry over to next week and there's a, there's film out there and, and of course there are strengths we have, but people are gonna look at those areas they can attack and we got to continue to just, you know, uh, understand that there's a lot of potential with this football team. Um, but we still got a lot of work to do and it's, it's, uh, gonna be that way all season long, you know. And then, and, uh, uh, I think that what I saw in the locker room downstairs, uh, whether it was the beginning of the game, uh, the middle of the game when, when we had a, you know, score very much in our favor. Uh, these guys have a determination, you know, and a relentlessness about them where, uh, they want to be great, you know, they just don't wanna go out there and, and do their thing for a half and just kind of just let the, let the score kind of die off and kind of let let someone hang around or, you know, they wanted to shut out, they wanted to put more points on the board and, uh, I just love their mindset. Awesome. Thank you real to.