What Kalen DeBoer Said After Alabama's Blowout Victory Over Missouri

Full transcript and press conference video from the Crimson Tide head football coach after Alabama's dominant 34-0 win over the Tigers.

Oct 26, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer walks along the field during warmups before a game against the Missouri Tigers at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Will McLelland-Imagn Images / Will McLelland-Imagn Images

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— No. 15 Alabama football rebounded from last week's loss vs. Tennessee with a resounding 34-0 shutout victory over No. 21 Missouri at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday.

The Crimson Tide's defensive effort was stout from start to finish, and Alabama's offense fed off of that momentum throughout the second half, leading to a dominant final score.

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer spoke to the media after the game. Here's everything he said.

Full Transcript

Opening Statement:

"Every win is important. And I like the way the guys prepared all week long and got a chance to give them a chance to go out there and have success. Didn't get a lot of points right away, but kept playing pressure in different ways once we got the field position flipped, especially after the interception and the momentum swing. So some good team football there. Three takeaways, none as far as giving up. So there's always an area we can correct and be better. We got to have some better awareness with some things just living in the gray area and stuff, and it's hurting us just from really taking a big, big step, and I feel like we're just right on the edge. And so we'll get a chance to hash through those, those areas, those gray areas that led to penalties or just missed execution. It just can't be that every little thing that is new or happens to us is something we have to learn. You know, a hard lesson might be just execution with play. I'm not talking about penalties all the time, so just, you know, go back to work. And I know where these guys' heads are at with what they did this last week, with what happened today. Might be time for us to have this week to get ready for LSU and the bye. You know, you can always find a reason for it to be a good time and feel it's good time to start our guys recover physically and mentally and make the final run."

On Cole Adams' injury:

"Lower-extremity, probably going to be some evaluation, but it feels like that might be a little bit of time. We'll know more on Monday, that's what it feels like right now."

Offensive struggles in the first half vs. dominance in the second half:

"Probably a combination of a few things, just staying the course. One, try to be balanced. Want to try to get different guys touches. The field position, you know, and just wanting to get us out of our own territory. Not that you naturally are going to be a little bit more conservative there. We just couldn't quite make the big play. I think we missed the big one to Kobe [Prentice] and missed on a couple of third downs that were just off of hands. And you know, then there's a penalty that puts you behind the sticks and backs you up a little bit I think field position certainly kept us from having drives, and you have to have explosives if you're going to go the length of the field. And we just missed on those. We knew that was gonna be hard when we got the red zone level down. That's frustrating when you have to walk away with field goals. But you know, Graham did a nice job getting a couple couple there in the first half, and that was, that was good, just to get some points. Then the defense just continued to, you know, keep fighting, get the takeaways. Got put in a couple spots, just because we couldn't get the field flipped and they got off the field. So hats off to them, I thought they had a really good week of practice, considering a lot of moving parts over the last two to three weeks, especially in the back half. And thought they went out and executed and made no excuses about how much someone was practicing and anything like that. They just knew the work had to be at work, and went out there and did a nice job. Made some plays with some diving interceptions and things like that made their breaks and I appreciate it."

On having 10 takeaways in the last three games:

"You're only as good as your last play and you're only as good as your last game. And so there are things you make sure that you know, you do well, and that's something that is certainly, there's some good vibes when it comes to taking the football away defensively. They're hunting it, they're anticipating a little bit. Little bit more of an attacking mindset, not so much on their heels and just make every yard count. I really want them to put that shot out there. That's why I called the timeout, there was any type of question at all. Wanted let us get our feet in the ground and be able to play football. So wanted that for them, because I know they've been working extremely hard and just stay in the course. Appreciate the effort today, really kept us right there for where we want the offense then got rolling better and found ways there, especially the latter half the second quarter of where we really started playing a full team game."

On the third-down defense:

"You're always looking for the things and the wins that you're you're doing. I know we have our goals and what we think we need to do each and every week, but just flat out, having that each week be something that we can hang our hat on, whether it's takeaways or now, you know, after today's game, just getting off the field of third down, those are momentum builders. Those are the positives that you can take from today, apply it, and everyone kind of looks at each other and believes that you can go make that play and get that stop. And so that is definitely something we can build off of. And you know now they just know that they're capable of it. Now you're gonna line up and do it again,"

-On the impact Justice Haynes and Jam Miller has on the rest of team during performances like this:

"[On the Haynes' 35-yard touchdown], That's the one that sticks out in my mind. There was a hit there, and 'Thunder' is probably a good word to put it, because I can hear it. And for him to stay on his feet, keep the legs moving, bounce off, and then guys downfield blocking, great effort. That's just something I see from them. The want-to is there, and to see it pay off in that type of way. And then have guys making plays. There's some momentum things and things that we can build off of in there too. But that was, that was really, you know, not just one him, but it's one for everyone to see that physical type of run. I thought Jam did a nice job on some runs there too at different times. That 1-2 punch there took a good step in the right direction."

On if Jalen Milroe had some weight lifted off of his shoulders due to the success of Miller and Haynes:

Yeah, you bet. Every quarterback needs a good run game, right? And for the whole lead of everything isn't on one guy's shoulders. There's still more things that we could do better. We kind of stay out of situations where our backs are to the ball evolve, like we can't be at first-and-25 or whatever it was, you know, just a simple play where we get 12 and really not that they don't matter, because there's a purpose to why they're cutting. But we can't have illegal chop blocks, we've got to be clean across the board. Get that 12 yards. Help Jalen out, an easy nice throw gets you into a rhythm to start a drive. Those are the type of things we got to help. We can't have someone substitute in a route you run. And sometimes he doesn't make the throw that you want or he wants. But then there's other times too where guys just got to make sure they stay the course and run the routes the way they need to be run. We just got to keep learning from. The things that didn't quite click, it's really close, and just go back to work. Make those directions, communicate, keep talking. And that's what I saw on the sideline. I saw some receivers and J-Mil continue to just try to iron things out. With Cole being out that moved some guys around. Kobe [Prentice], we got even Ryan in a spot or two, probably, that he hasn't practiced much. And so just finding that level of being in sync, you know, at the elite level, is still not there yet, but I do feel like we did some things taking a step forward, but we got to continue to take the pressure off him to where every play is not hand run or pass."

On Alabama's secondary:

"Excited for Bray [Hubbard] to have this opportunity. The guys really believe in him and he works extremely hard. And then just across the board, every snap that our young guys take, from Zabien Brown to Jaylen Mbakwe to all of them. There's a lot of new faces in there working together, Malachi and Domani really kind of being the staples and pretty consistent. You know, today we had some guys that rotated it, they did things like that too. So, just loved the way that they continue to get better. I think there's things that they can build on again today. But they're some tough kids. Not just putting it out on Saturday, but this week, you know, they were able to be on the field a little bit more and any time they can do that, they understand how important practice is to build that confidence so they can go out and execute on a higher level each and every week. That was something I actually felt better about this week than I have really the last two or three weeks, is that I saw the reps in practice because we were a little bit healthier. We were just healthy enough to be able to go out there and get some of those reps in that show us there can be a trust in each other and executing execution."

On Malachi Moore's bounce-back from weeks of negative critiques due to outburst vs. Vanderbilt:

There's moments that you go through, anyone does, and that was a moment that I know he's not gonna want to go back to. I know how he feels about it. I know what he's done since then, and really a lot of growth, not just in a situation that might come up like that, but growth, the passion you're never going to question the passion, you know, the way he is in practice, sometimes you don't know if he's mad or happy. You know, he just, he's bringing it. We got a couple guys like that, Tyler Booker. They played to the end of the whistle, and then in practice, they're just taking it upon themselves to be those vocal leaders. And so they're pouring, you know, everything into it. They're bringing their A-game every single day of practice to help build this team, to take those next steps and be better each and every day. And so there's a lot of growth that he's had. He loves seeing growth be rewarded. And so, yeah, I'm very happy for him."

How this win will propel Alabama in the final month of the season:

"There was a level of physicality that we had today, that both sides, I think there's, there's been, always times each side of the ball has had their moments. But I thought there was a little different level of physicality. And we knew we really felt like, you know, they were a well-rounded team. They lost their quarterback there, but even when he was in there, we were doing some really good things defensively. And so the run game has been something that really gets them going. I thought we were around football, I know at the end they popped a couple, but we had some different guys in there. But I'm really appreciative of the physicality we brought to the table and the execution just being where they're supposed to be. The play action didn't really get a chance to open up off of any runs. We were in their spots, eyes were in the right places. Just discipline with their jobs and doing their job at a higher level. So always room to improve. I know we're going to continue to do that."