What Alabama Head Coach Kalen DeBoer Said After Winning Iron Bowl

The Crimson Tide head coach spent time with the media after the final game of the 2024 season.

Nov 30, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer walks onto the field before a game against the Auburn Tigers at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Will McLelland-Imagn Images / Will McLelland-Imagn Images

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- No. 13 Alabama welcomed the Auburn Tigers to Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium for the annual Iron Bowl as both programs look to go into the postseason with momentum. The Crimson Tide claimed its fifth consecutive win in the rivalry by defeating the Tigers 28-14.

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer is scheduled to meet with the media after the rivalry win. He'll certainly discuss the Crimson Tide's three first-half turnovers, Jalen Milroe's performance and Alabama's defensive performance in the red zone.

The victory keeps the Crimson Tide alive for the College Football Playoff as the program awaits results from other games across the nation. Auburn's loss means they'll miss out on a bowl game as they fall to 5-7 on the season.

Full Transcript from Head Coach Kalen DeBoer

Opening Statement:

"Proud of the guys today. Staff and everyone just putting a good week of work in. You could really feel it Tuesday morning. Just, I thought it was a great practice and I told the guys downstairs that that was something I felt got us off to a pretty good start. Wednesday was the same thing. It led to a day where we're out there and playing hard and doing our thing. Proud of the resiliancy at times that we have, whether it's week to week, even within a game. Our focus was just on the right things all week long, focusing on this game, focusing on what we can control and that's what I shared with them downstairs.

"I do want to say one thing, we're undefeated at home and that's a big part to do with our fanbase. Just out there right at the very end and the energy in the stadium today, just all day from the time that we pull up and do the walk to the very end and that's been every single week. There's definitely a home field advantage that we feel when we're here. I want to give a lot of thanks to the fans for being here today and for being here with us all season long. It was a fun night for our guys, winning the Iron Bowl. It's a big deal, as everyone knows and for us did the things that we needed to do to put ourselves in a chance to win."

What would be your pitch as to why you should be in the playoff?

"Well, I think everyone's aware of our schedule. I don't know the exact stats but I know we beat four top-25 teams throughout the year. I don't know how many, if anyone, has done that. When you talk about the schedule and what it is week to week, it's just a grind. Having to come back every week, that's really, the only conference that has to do that is ours. That's what I would say. We won five of our last six. Playing some physical football, I think we're continuing to excel in that area with what the game's all about. I think those are two pretty big deals. We beat some high quality teams, teams that are still out there playing some good ball themselves then just winning five of the last six in the backhalf of the season."

What did Jalen Milroe and his impact mean to you?

"You talk about resiliency with our team, I think that's a good word to use for him. It's hard being the quarterback of any football team. I think it's hard being the quarterback of a program that expects to win every game. The ball's in his hands a lot. We throw with him. I think he was probaby 70-percent or so, 18-for-24, and then running the football, that's not just tonight. That's a lot of what he brings to the table. He facilitates a lot of moving parts and he had some conversions. There's always a play or two that you always want back, but he just continues to stay the course. I thought him coming back after a couple plays there in the fourth quarter and making some big third down throws, guys helping him make plays too. I thought throughout the course of the game, even the ones that were incomplete, I thought he put them in a pretty good spot. Just really proud of the way he played tonight and just you know continue to be resilient, continue to stay the course and help us win football games."

Equal Alabama record for most wins for a first-year head coach, what's this year been like for you?

"Yeah, it's always about the team. Any wins I get are always about the team and the staff and everything we do. There's more that I wish we would've had, that's the way I look at it. From the season standpoint, high's and low's. That's a part of any program, any championship program goes through the same thing each and every year. I guess, I go back to the way I care about these guys. I think we've really grown closer together the last half of the season. As a team, a staff, players just really connected, a love for each other that I think really is grown here in the last three, four, five games. I think the hard times bring you closer and you can see the response. I wish everyone could see what's going on in that locker room right now. It's not just some crazy party going on downstairs, it's a lot of just love and care for each other and smiles. That's what it's all about, coming together each and every week, the ups and downs. It's been a great ride in a lot of ways. Obviously, there's times when you'd love to have a few things go a little bit better."

What did Jam Miller and Germie Bernard mean to the offense?

"Yeah, there's a lot of guys that are always critical to our success and you just trust those guys. I think they've been super consistent. They get themselves ready to play. There going to fight and battle for themselves, but our team first and foremost. Those were some hard yards for all those guys and you asked about Jam and that was certainly the case till the very end. I thought Germie coming up with some of those big third down catches, he's just steady in that way and has been that way all year."

How did Malachi Moore set the tone for the defense?

"Yeah he carried us through some, I mean, tonight's big, but I think it just represents what he is all season long. When guys were in and out or weeks when we were kind of up against it with some dings and the rotation wasn't always consistent with some of the play around him with injuries or guys just working through stuff, he just continued to stay the course. Tonight, loved seeing him fly around. His energy in a positive way being something that everyone feeds off of. He loves this place, more than anyone can ever imagine and we see it every day in practice and it's great when it carries over to the game and you can see it as well."

What did you make of the sideline fight?

"Yeah, I saw the first part of it and I thought, I understand there was a piece where we didn't handle it probably as well as we needed to. I don't want to get into it too much other than that. I know, felt like there was something that prompted it, that's about all I know. It was on the other sideline so you can't see a lot. But certainly one of those things that got them a little bit of momentum with those yards that they got after that. It's an emotional game, you put it in all year and it builds up to this and the game itself, back and forth and a lot of momentum swings. It's not okay, but I understand where the emotions were on both sides. A lot of people over there so it's hard for me to really tell what was going on."

What have you seen in Bray Hubbard?

"He was just waiting for his opportunity. While he was waiting he was just getting ready this season. That's a credit to him. There's a lesson that a lot of players that are young, not freshman or anything like that, but guys who are waiting for their time that I think can really take from what he did this year. He's a guy that plays with passion, but he's a really heady player and just continues to develop the physical tools each and every week and the confidence. We have belief in him because we know he cares so much, he's really smart, he sees things and every snap he's playing he's getting better and better."

What allows Jalen Milroe to be dangerous with his legs and did the Iron Bowl live up to the hype?

"Yeah it lived up to the hype, it definitely did. He found his times to go make plays and again, sometimes when it was when we dropped back, but he didn't force it, but when the times came he can go make those plays. I thought he did a good job of putting his head down at times and then loves using his speed getting to the corner. When he's doing those types of things we become really hard to defend. I was proud of the way he executed a lot of both the run and the pass. He made us tough to defend a lot of times today. Again, I thought he threw the ball extremely well and great completion percentage and there was even more that we probably left on the football field."