The Kalen DeBoer Show Ahead of Tennessee

"They lowdown, they dirty, they some snitches."

That hilariously famous video can only mean one thing, it's Tennessee Hate Week in Tuscaloosa! Head coach Kalen DeBoer spoke on "Hey Coach" with Chris Stewart on Wednesday ahead of his first rivalry game as the head coach of the Crimson Tide.

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Here's what DeBoer had to say about Alabama and Tennessee.

DeBoer acknowledged that some wins feel better than others. a 27-25 victory over 3-3 South Carolina is not one of those,

"Every win is important," DeBoer said Wednesday night. "You got to celebrate it to some extent, but you also know that you have wins that you're more happy with and some you're not. There's a lot of great things we can take from it. I think our competitiveness, our competitive stamina has been tested in a great way with our football team, having to play these games late. Obviously, there's some things we can do better earlier to separate ourselves and not make it come down to what it was, for example, on Saturday.

"There's a lot of moments that we can continue to go through together and learn from."

Despite the wise words from Coach DeBoer, several fans called into the radio show and grilled the first-year Crimson Tide leader.

Landon in Huntsville referenced the multiple mistakes made in Saturday's win over South Carolina (safety, 4th-and-9 touchdown, pick before halftime, onside kick) and asked how the team has improved this week ahead of the rivalry game.

"Yeah, we're addressing all of those. We work on those [onside] kicks every Wednesday, fielding those kicks every Wednesday, Thursday. Anytime we do those special teams, we always start with rapid-fire kicks. We work on the exact kick -- like I said, we do it on the ground because we don't have someone that kicked it the way that [South Carolina] specialist did. But you just keep working on it. Obviously, we know the significance when we're in that moment, and I think you talked about a couple other situations. It's just the thing that - you look at the game, there's two minutes to go. A little less than two minutes. And fourth down, we got off the field right there, a lot of those other things don't happen. That was a big game, and then what we got to do is we got to put a stop to the momentum. We could have easily gone into the locker room with at least a 14 - if not some time there to move the ball down the field and add to the lead - a 14-0 lead. We didn't, and so that's the reality of it, and we have to understand why and what happened there. But we come back and we knew they were going to get the ball to start the third quarter, and that's the drive that really, kind of, put them back on top and was probably the most frustrating one just because the way they were able to control the ball for a little over eight minutes. But, again, our guys now have been behind in the second half a couple times when we've had a lead. Their response is something I was happy with, that they just kept playing. It never really felt they were panicked, even though they were frustrated. That's what you want, because you know there's going to be a lot of other games in the SEC that's going to take that resiliency that's needed."

Angel from Pigeon Forge asked a two-part question, inquiring about the mindset of the players heading into the game against Tennessee and if DeBoer would "get on" the players more.

"Yeah, I think a lot is always misunderstood about our players and what their mindset is. I think there was great intensity by our players going in. I think a lot of it always comes down to execution, and when you see explosive plays and you see plays being made, the excitement that comes from that, I think you always feel like, 'Oh, the intensity is there.' When the plays aren't being made, there's some frustration that can sink in. And that's what you're always trying to do is trying to just push that out of your mind, trying to train yourself and you're, as a team, trust and believe and be excited about going and making the next play. And so to me, the preparation is always what leads to a day on Saturday, where that intensity is where you want it. And certainly this week,  our guys -- look at at Tennessee, and, I know that was the first part of your question. It just kind of what's their outlook, and they're fired up to go into an environment that we know is gonna be a great atmosphere. It's gonna be loud. We know that it's gonna be -- I know we'll travel, but really with the way we gotta look at it, it's us versus the whole stadium. and that's something that gets -- you love playing in Bryant Denny and that's exciting and you want the 100,000 to your side, but there's something about also going to other places when, you know, everyone, you know, is rooting against you too. They've had a great week. Their intensity, I guess, you know, kind of going to your question is there, and just the first two days of practice and we've still got some more left is what you would all hoped and what you'd be proud of."

In the audience, Ethan asked how DeBoer resets the culture of Alabama FOotball and establishes the University as the standard in college football once again.

"All we can control is what we're doing each and every day, and going out there and winning, and playing playing hard, playing aggressive, playing tough, disciplined - all the things that we we know that are important to a great football team and the values and non-negotiables that make that make that up. So, we're doing everything we can every day. I mean, that's what you can control. you go out there on Saturdays and you cut it loose and give it everything you got and we can't worry about what other people think. We just gotta worry about what we're doing within the within the building, who we are as a team. Are we fighting for each other? Fighting with each other? Those are those are the things that I'm looking for. Is there energy, attitude and effort, which is the No. 1 ask I have from them? Because if that's happening, then we're gonna continue to improve, we're gonna continue to get better.

"We know we are not a finished product. In the meantime, you wanna continue to win games, yes, to make sure that we stay the course and can reach our goals that we have as a program as we have as a 2024 football team, but, we're gonna continue to improve as long as everything else is in place with our attitude, effort and all of everything that goes along with your mindset."

Alex in Tennessee asked DeBoer about the improvements the team has made since Vanderbilt, citing the defensive line getting "pushed around."

"Yeah, that's why you practice. That's why you keep attacking, and that's why you put in the work that you put in. You always find those areas where we are improving. I just look at it this way. I said this earlier - we had done a nice job through most of the first half, and really had South Carolina shut down. Zero points, and then there's one fourth down play that they hit, and then we did a poor job of getting out of the half and losing that momentum. There are areas and times where we need to play better, and that's popped up. So it's playing a complete game that I think is the key. I know that's the key. And playing team football together. When we've won the turnover margin, we've found ways to win. The defense forced four takeaways this week. They did it against Georgia. When it was flipped against Vanderbilt - especially with a pick-six the other way - you're going to be on the wrong end, especially when you're on the road. So we've got to take care of the football. We've got to attack the football defensively. We got to stand by all the fundamental things that are important to any football team winning, and that especially applies for us."

Tommy from Leeds put it bluntly, asking how Alabama's defensive backs would prevent Tennessee's wide receivers from running wide-open around the field.

"Yeah, they got to work together. You got to do your job, and there's times when you're locked on, man-to-man, and there's times when you have to work together and play zone coverage. They got good speed in their receiving corps and they're going to do different things to try to find match-ups, and tie it in with some play-action because they are a team that really still hangs their hat on running the football successful. Yeah, every week is a new challenge in a different way. Each position group has something a little different, whether it's schematic or personnel that they're gonna have to defend, whether it's defense or offensively. We talked earlier about the offensive line and the challenges that come their way. So the whole team, it's a new game. Every play is a new play. That's the game. That's why we go to work and why we do what we do all week long to get ready for Saturday." 

Wyatt Fulton is the TIde 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.