TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – You can think you know what it’s like to coach Alabama, as an SEC newcomer, and replace Nick Saban.
You can think you know, but do you really know until you’ve experienced it?
Well, anyway, Kalen DeBoer’s experienced it now. He endured a bumpy debut season, highlighted by wins against LSU and Auburn, but marred by losses to Vanderbilt and Oklahoma, en route to a 9-4 finish. DeBoer shoots it straight. He won’t try to recast last season as something it wasn’t, which was a season that fell short of expectations.
He’s moving forward with a team that upgraded at certain positions like defensive back and wide receiver but must transition to a new starting quarterback.
DeBoer addressed these topics and more when I sat down with him in April. Here is a portion of that interview, with questions and answers lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
In January, you said the expectation here is to be at a championship level, and Alabama didn’t meet that expectation last season. Why did you feel the team fell short of the championship expectations?
DeBoer: This is a program that expects to be front and center. That’s what I expect. That’s wherever I’ve been. You come here to do the things that you need to do to give yourself a chance when the postseason comes to be in those moments.
Bill Walsh used to say, “Champions are champions before they’re champions.” When we talk about being champions, to me, the championships are results of doing things that champions do and that winners do throughout the whole process.
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Was there something missing from that process last year?
DeBoer: No, I think there’s steps to it.
When you’re at the top, it’s hard enough to stay at the top when you have continuity. Now, you take away any continuity, … and it’s going to be hard to maintain that level. But, I feel like we are taking the steps.
You’ve got to go through some hard times, I feel. More times than not, you go through the hard times to actually realize the big moments.
I was part of, as a coordinator, multiple semifinal losses and championship game losses before we actually realized the championships we were able to be a part of when I was a head coach a couple years later. Those semifinal-type losses, we finally won those a couple years later, and then all of a sudden, it just takes off.
That’s been what this program has been about, is using experiences and get the right people and continuity, especially with coach Saban for so many years.
Alabama fans and fans at some other SEC hubs, they focus on everything, from what the coach says at the press conference to other minutiae. One thing I know some fans commented on last year was that you coached a game in a T-shirt. How do you deal with something that seems minute, but it’s becoming a story?
DeBoer: I understand the impact I want to make and why I do what I do to where I just always go back to, where’s my heart? Where’s my head? As long as I’m keeping the right perspective about things, that will help me keep my whole team and staff in the right place, just focused on the moment.
You know that everything is going to be analyzed – literally everything – but, again, that’s what you signed up for, and I’m good with that. I just want to try to bring as many people together. There’s going to be people who are always against you, right? That’s college football. That’s rivalries. That’s you being devoted to your team, and I love that. It’s special, because this is the pro team here. There isn’t an NFL or NBA or Major League Baseball team in Alabama. This is it. That’s awesome. I love it.
How does bringing in offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, with whom you worked at previous stops, help this program?
DeBoer: He’s obviously a great coach. He and I obviously are aligned in many ways. We’re similar in so many ways, and his passion for coaching and why he does what he does is one thing, but offensively, he adds to what we had and takes us to another level. There’s a belief that I obviously have in him, but, fortunately, there’s other coaches on staff that have worked for him, too. The efficiency, the continuity adds to what we did last year. He can help take it to another level.
What can quarterback Ty Simpson bring to this offense that maybe was needed?
DeBoer: He’s super talented. He can get the ball where it needs to be. He’s an upperclassman now, so his experiences, you expect him to learn from what he’s seen in his time here.
He’s a guy that players, I think, see as a productive quarterback but also one who’s fun to be around, a good dude. He’s got to continue to balance the leadership piece. Any quarterback needs to not just be seen as a guy but their guy. That’s what you want. You want someone who, at the quarterback position, everyone will fall in line with and do anything for, because he’s their quarterback.
That competition continues to happen. We are not where we need to be yet, but Ty certainly has all the traits to win championship games for us. I really believe that, but I also believe we have a couple other quarterbacks who have it in them to do the same thing.
When you say the quarterback position is not where it needs to be yet, can you put your finger on what’s missing?
DeBoer: Just consistency at an extremely high level. We have high expectations for our program. We have high expectations for every guy who steps on the football field. The growth has been good. We’re taking big steps, but we want to see that from Ty continue to happen as he goes through the summer and into fall camp. If we just felt good about where we’re at right now, it wouldn’t be enough, but we do know he has the potential to do those things for us to be at the level we need to be.
How different will this offense look? Jalen Milroe was unique in some of the things he could do with his athleticism.
DeBoer: Much of the offense is the same offense. It’s how those concepts come together
We wanted Jalen to have a good share of opportunities in his hands, running the football, giving him concepts where he can throw it on time and get the ball delivered to other players, but also times where you let him create. That balance, I think, is hardest when you have a quarterback like him, is letting him have the ball hands long enough but also not too long.
I think all these quarterbacks are really good athletes. I think Ty would surprise you with his quickness. Keelon Russell is a really good athlete. Austin Mack is a big-bodied guy who’s becoming faster and faster, and he can make people miss and run around the edge. Don’t let him get a full head of steam.
They all have athleticism and ability to run and use their feet as well, but obviously Jalen was just different that way, so we had to utilize his strengths.
Your wide receivers, would you say you upgraded there?
DeBoer: I think that’s accurate. The guys that are in the program, especially the top two with Germie Bernard and Ryan Williams, those guys are taking the next steps, and I can tell you that they’re improving, … and they’re elevating as leaders, too. It starts with those two.
We really did a great job hitting on Isaiah Horton (a transfer from Miami), who physically has a presence, but he’s really smooth. He’s going to make people miss after he catches the ball, too.
The high school guys that have come in, there’s no question that these guys have bright futures. And then there’s guys that are just going into Year 2 or Year 3 here that I’m super excited about it.
Is there another position group where you see improvement?
DeBoer: The defensive backfield, as a whole, is the one that’s just completely different than what it was a year ago.
It’s a position group that’s got quickness, speed, length, a quiet confidence about them and takes a lot of pride in being very productive.
They have a desire to be elite. I’m excited about that position group.
People outside of the program will say you’re facing a lot of pressure in Year 2. How are you feeling about that?
DeBoer: You can only worry about what you can control. Just be diligent on the things you can control. That’s what you’re going to focus on.
Even when I was a player, the way I handled things, I always think: They’re never as good as you think. They’re never as bad as you think.
Never overreacting is key. If I do that, guess what, our players will probably do that, too. But, there’s also got to be a level of intensity and confidence.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com. Follow him on X @btoppmeyer.