Kalen DeBoer speaks with the media following Alabama's 42-16 win over USF

head coach kayin dor we have Coach begin with the opening statement then we'll go ahead take some questions please leave your hands up I'll get you all right you bet um obviously uh going to the fourth quarter you know 1413 and uh you know in a fight and so um you know tip of the cap to to S uh USF for uh for fighting but uh also you know as many things that we look at uh that are that are things we got to definitely clean up um you know we talked down a lot Lo room about you know learning the lessons uh about the things that you know didn't go right but also understand if we just keep fighting um good things can happen and in the fourth quarter uh staying away from the penalties and take and turnovers uh it's amazing what can happen and so uh defense did a nice job forcing some field goals and uh and you know just as we went through the game there in the fourth quarter uh I think those were were key you know so us scoring touchdowns and finishing drives other than the fumble uh which was was certainly unfortunate again a lot of things we need to clean up um guys got to do a better job when they make a big play you got to tuck it away all the things we work on all the things we discuss uh going to be you know a lot to learn from and so excited about uh the challenge the opportunity because that's that's what this that's what this is and I think you need games like this and you know need I don't this isn't a wakeup call or nothing like that um it's it's nothing like that it's just you know just keep raising the standard I think this game last year was a an important important one you know that propelled them last year and it probably be the same thing this year you know that's my hope questions the star front Chase right um what are some of the things that that you do in practice to with ball security limiting turnover is and that's is that something that'll be more of a focal point this coming week yeah I mean every every every day there's there's something but Tuesdays is a big time priority uh we start the week off with that and there's other there's other things I mean it it is a you know we talk about the the ball as the program you know and uh how important it is uh taking care of it you know and also getting it and so um really we won't have to raise the level of how much we stress it because we stress it significantly and so you know it's it's it's guys just learning you know that when you make a big play there's there's people behind you they're chasing you uh you know they're coming from all angles and uh we got to do a better job um being conscious of that and you know just guys got out of their game a little bit you know and um got got a little loose with it so uh we'll get we'll watch on film I don't know exactly where the how the fumbles were created but you know a lot of the things we talk about I think are what happened left side there yeah I don't think we saw Elijah pred on offense until about six minutes left uh what went into him not playing until then and kind of then inserting him at that point yeah he had a he he got last game um just a minor minor Ding and we were trying to trying to get through he didn't he didn't practice much early in the week but practiced Wednesday and uh Thursday and so um was ready to go um probably worked a little bit more on the left side uh and we felt good you know after the week was uh kind of we gone through the week that you know that we were just going to roll with what we had uh with book and Gino um but you know he was he was ready to go he could have he could have started the game and uh we were just trying to trying to hold on as long as possible uh you know just try try to keep him 100% healthy he got through just fine tonight and uh you know I think we're we're going to be in better shape offensive line wise going into next week so it was a little little touch and go there at some points uh during the week with a few different guys Kati just kind of building off that how did you see the offense shift and change in that final six minutes when he came in the game and kind things opened up yeah it was just not having penalties you know not being behind the chains uh you guys saw it too and and uh it's hard to call a game it's hard to uh to to overcome you know second and long third and long situations uh and so you know we had to learn some lessons the hard way tonight uh there's there's no doubt about it you know two touchdowns that are called back uh you know because of holding calls and and obviously the turnover inside the five yard line uh but you know when we didn't hold and we were you know moving the move the ball forward um good things were happening but we have to be able to do it on consecutive plays over and over and over again and have sustained drives and so you know last week we probably didn't get put in that position to where we had to sustain drives right we were explosive uh the ball was down the field go guys were making huge runs and so you know uh that mindset you know has to has to kind of carry over from this week to to next week an understanding that we have to we have to grind the ball grind it out every once you know grind it out it can't just be explosive plays and with that comes you know executing uh and there's other things too that we certainly can be better on things we can help Jaylen out with um you know Jaylen I know how he is he's going to put it all on himself and that's the way he always is but there's other things we can do to help him out little you know you sometimes they kind of on the borderline of a missed assignment it's just guys not executing and helping him out as well as they could up front the skill guys um it's a whole it's a whole team effort on offense every guy's got to execute everyone's got to do their job for it to to go clean on the left side on some of those penalties I think we saw you get a little bit heated you know with the officials just for us that haven't watched you you know over the years just how often does it happen and what were you seeing on some of those that was getting to you yeah just I mean you know they they obviously saw and I saw some things too on why they called stuff I you know there's there's other things I felt you know and when you you get into where it's that tight now all of a sudden everything gets called tight and so I get it you know it's just um yeah I mean I'm just trying to trying to make sure kind of that everyone's held accountable and got to hold my guys accountable when we aren't executing and doing things and there's a lot of calls that I mean most of them we were holding you know we were doing things that you can't do and uh we we got to clean up our our part of it but uh you know just making sure that you know the things that I saw also that I was addressing uh that I wanted them to make sure they kept an eye on few questions in the middle start with Sten coach on the touchdown run Jam Miller just saw the passion and how he's fighting to get in that end zone what does he bring this offense from that perspective his passion as a running back yeah he's he's a he's just really quiet when uh you know he doesn't like to say too much but when he gets a chance to touch the ball you know we see what can happen and um you know you don't get to see it a lot in practice because you know it's it's different tempos the scrimmages we've seen times where what you saw tonight uh him getting loose and making those guys miss I love the cut back uh he did it early enough to where really you know there was a lot of lot a lot of chance for the defender to make a play so um he's explosive uh he can run inside he can run outside uh just you know uh did did a nice job all around and uh you know I know he'll take it super hard too with the the one turnover he had there too so uh you know he's got a fire in his eyes and and he came back you know wanted the ball and that's what I love about him you know that's what I love about a lot of our guys you know they they want to get back in there they want to get back in the fight and go help the team back Mario uh coach towards the end of the game there's a couple times there were some momentum starters I would say from momentum with Ryan Williams having that big touchdown catch and also too with Jaylen andway stepping up with that big punt return kickoff return I guess to have those guys be so young and make plays like that when really needed how impressive is that yeah yeah a lot of lot of new faces Young And even some just guys coming into this program that have really helped us out and and the foundation is still all the guys that have been here you know they understand the standard they understand that and the leadership down in the locker room whether it's halftime where it's the end of the game um just you know holding us holding each other accountable including themselves but also you know showing that hey we we we can be better look what would happen if we just played our game and did our job and did it the right way and uh you know um Ryan you know and the and the and the catch that he had you know I love that um that Jaylen has enough confidence in him to to rip it out there and let him go make a play you know because there's a lot of options on that one play for Jaylen he can hand the ball off he can throw a little perimeter throw and he can also throw throw a hitch out there and uh he chose to go to Ryan with the hitch and identification being on the same page you know I love that he trusts you know Ryan in that moment you know when uh when we gotta keep the chains moving you know we're looking to score of course but uh you know Ryan coming through he's done that a few times now obviously and uh you know those are just the steps that I love seeing uh boach stepping in when we needed a return you know and doing doing what he did uh that was that was really key he just you know unfazed hopped in there uh he's a lot of he's very confident uh we've got a lot of confidence in him unfortunately obviously Cole went down and he was ready to go time for a few more questions start the left side to Tony what did you see or what did you think of Tyler Booker's move to left tackle and then he's so good at run blocking from that left guard spot do you feel like you guys kind of were limited uh in that move you know in some of your consistency in the running game yeah yeah no uh I think wherever he's at we're really good you know um you know I'm sure he's going to look at it and and learn a lot about playing tackle uh just with the number of snaps he's played in his career you know versus guard and uh you know but you know didn't worry too much about him at all um I think a lot of it is just a number of reps that they've had together and it was just pretty much this week for a couple few practices and and it showed it showed that we weren't on the same page with different things and different calls and so uh you know they got to tighten that up uh but book uh certainly provides a punch and impact wherever he's at when he's inside just the the firmness of the pocket the Run blocking the the push off the line of scrimmage um it's it's it's strong you know and when he was outside today I didn't really worry too much about you know a rush and a one-on-one um I thought he looked really good in practice I was excited on Tuesday when he took some reps there and uh you know we rotated a lot of different groups um or multiple groups at guys at different spots U throughout the week but he uh you know he looked good there and I was very confident going into tonight with him at left tackle jump right side Charlie you mentioned a couple minutes ago when Cole Adams went out just do you have an update on where things stand with him yeah he just had an arm injury and uh I I would say we we'll have to see you know exactly where that's at um just the extent to the extent of that you know um I didn't necessarily see and I didn't even realize it was his arm until he kind of got up I thought it was something something lower leg but um you know we'll kind of see where Ser he's at throughout the week but U you know unfortunately I mean he was I think more just frustrated that he got hurt uh than it was maybe even the pain that he was going through but I'm sure you know didn't feel good last question coach the way your team finished tonight what do does that say about your team what have you learned about your team how does that carry forward to the next week and weeks ahead yeah I'm not going to ever question I told him this I'm never going to question they want to you know and the way they practice it's they practice hard um the energy uh you know uh in the locker room before the game I mean they wanted to go out there and and uh you know I I felt like there there was a lot of guys straining out there um it's a word we use a lot to to make plays to finish uh some sometimes we strain too much and we got to understand that uh you know you can't make that push in the back or you can't you know tug the jersey and that Split Second of a hold um and those moments were the ones that cost us a lot of a lot of momentum a lot of big plays and so um you know in in the locker room we just again we talked about uh learning from it and there's uh some great lessons on learning that if we just stay in the fight and we just keep playing and live to see another down it's amazing what this team team can accomplish and so you know remember this this time when it was uh 1413 uh I believe that's what it was and and and uh you know you just you just kept swinging you just kept playing and uh I'm I'm proud of that that's what that's what it's going to take to to win some close games even if they're not pretty because all wins aren't going to be that way thank you coach awesome thank you real tide