What Kalen DeBoer Said After Alabama's Win at Wisconsin

The Crimson Tide went to Madison and got its best win of the young season.

Sep 14, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer answers questions from the media during the post game press conference following the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

MADISON, Wis. -- The No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide went to Camp Randall Stadium and defeated the Wisconsin Badgers 42-10 on Saturday. Head coach Kalen DeBoer spent time with the media after the game to talk about what went right and wrong for the Crimson Tide.

Below you'll find the full transcript from DeBoer in after the win.

Opening Statement

"Proud of the guys. Just a solid, solid overall performance. Team football, getting the takeaways and put the points on the board when we got the ball back, getting a stop on fourth down, scoring, forcing the field goal at the field at the end of the half and the offense responded with a quick drive and then coming back in the third quarter, too. Those are big swings in momentum. I think our guys, their energy was there all week, knowing that the only choice is always to go back to work. And that's the way it's always going to be. They did exactly that. I thought it was the best rhythm to practice. I think they're getting into the flow now of, what a game plan week looks like. Last week was the first week where you had your typical week and have some extra days, and this week you can just feel it was all kind of sinking up. So it was expected a good performance. You're never going to be perfect, but a lot of great things to build on."

On the injuries to Malachi Moore, Qua Russaw and Richard Young

"Malachi got hit to the head. So I think we're just going through the protocol with him. It helps having the bye week here. So I'm thinking he'll be all right, be fine. Russaw, a lower leg. I don't know exactly where, but I know it is lower and just continue to evaluate him. Richard Young, I think same thing. So just lower leg, I think actually very similar below the knee area. So just continue to evaluate those guys. Definitely good to have a couple weeks here, getting ready."

On the play of the offensive line with Kadyn Proctor

"I thought they just did a consistent job of making sure Jalen could stay upright, wasn't rushed, hurried. It's amazing how your play calls can just be so much easier when you're in down and distances that are much more favorable when you can protect your quarterback and make every throw could where there's not through a ways where you're getting hit. And I thought there was just good gelling considering it was really their first game action all together. And then between running backs and Jalen just finding the different ways to attack the run game, and they just opened up the seams, and I felt like really not any missed assignments. I'm sure there's something in there that we'll find. But when it came to running the football, just getting those big bodies all working together, whatever play was called, I felt like they were in sync and giving us a chance. Jam had a big game, and Jalen as well. So I liked the balance of what we were able to do, run and pass, and that starts up front."

On the turnovers created on defense

"Those two strips could have been really big for us. Getting one early, just getting that momentum, it just becomes contagious. And I love it. The guys have a lot of confidence. We almost had, I think, an interception there with Keon early, too. So those guys are playing aggressive, playing competent, and they're going to come into bunches, and I feel like we're just the tip of the iceberg taking the ball away."

On LT Overton

"You expect that from him. He's just going to be continually coming after you, you know, and it's not just against one or the other, runner or pass, it's both. He's just a physical presence in there. Love the way he plays. It's a business like approach that he has, whether it's in practice or games. I just got a lot of trust and confidence that he's going to bring his best. And he fits so well within our scheme. I know we're very confident, whatever it is, if he's got got something we're asking to do, that he's getting it done — making sure he takes care of his responsibility and then goes and eats and goes and makes plays."

On the TD pass to Ryan Williams

"I thought it was right on the money, you know? And I love what Jalen did with those balls that were down the field. Gave our guys a chance. Now, our guys did a nice job of getting some separation there, too. And Ryan, in that case, you get a step, let's get it done. And, as you said, you get to the back of the end zone or towards the sideline, both those things were coming on Ryan quickly, but because of the trajectory — and I think it goes back to again, Jalen had some time back there. He had a second to really sort things out, see it, not feel rushed, and put a good ball on Ryan and Ryan tracking it and doing what he does."

On what went into the decision to start Elijah Pritchett

"Pritchett being healthy and just finding that, really between Kadyn, Pritchett and the rest of the crew, we felt very confident going into week one. And Wilkin will continue to work in the mix and be a part of it as well. Geno came in and did a nice shot spelling some some snaps there too. We're gonna need them all. We're gonna need them all. I just know how the season goes, and they're just gonna always keep getting better."

On going on the road for the first time

"On the road, there was a business like approach to us in the locker room pregame. There was a lot of energy, a lot of fire. I think that's just these guys and their passion. It's impressive being in here, and it's impressive at halftime, as you're as you're gaining momentum, that they can just really have that confidence, the energy being sustained. It's something I'm really learning about our guys. You see it practice and you think that that's what's going to be and you just never know. And here we are, three weeks in and I'm really pleased with how they have that business like approach, but there's a lot of energy, too. Because some teams, you know, you have so much energy that you start making those mistakes, and I feel like we were able to hone it in the right things and focus it on the on the right spots, and that's playing well."

On the TD pass to Germie Bernard

"Yeah, that was a route that takes a little time develop, a little post corner route. That was a great play call. When I heard it, I loved it. And just staying aggressive. Obviously, the clock we had to do that. But the time that it took because it developed a little bit slower, and Germ doing a good job of clearing and not running into and using just the veteran savvy this that he has to set the direction, set the set the path that he was going to be on, and Jalen again, giving him a chance. One yard wider and it's an incomplete pass. Germ catching it first, and then getting his feet down. And so just great execution all around."

On the TD drive at the end of the first half

"I mean, we're going to be aggressive. We had three timeouts, and so a lot of time with those timeouts. And so we got playmakers like we have, you want to give them chances to make plays, and every possession matters. We went after it. The first throw down the sideline to Ryan really set things up well to now we're looking at getting points no matter what. I loved the aggressiveness again, with the play call to go the post corner to Germ. And then in the locker room, just really not being happy and satisfied with that score, coming back out and doing a good job executing the next drive, I think that shows growth in our team that you do it back to back in those big moments where really their team didn't touch the ball and all of the sudden there's 14 points put on the board."

On the players getting used to playing with each other vs. the new staff

"I think there's a lot of that that is just nuances that you don't really realize. And, you know, I think unless you're right there in the fire with the guys — there's just play calling rhythms and taking the field and how we communicate. There's just so many nuances that the great teams have. And we're a work in progress in all those things. There's things that I saw where we did a better job, and there's things that just still, you know, once a while — when I say clunky and it's a negative word now it's going to feel, Hey, we're we are doing things we're supposed to. I think we are. It just takes time. It takes repetitions for everyone.  We were much more in sync this week, whether it was today or whether it was all week through our game-planning, the calls that we're making, there's recall now. There's some recall with our play calls from last week or the week before, and it isn't just us going against our defense, we're seeing different looks and we're understanding that those adjustments week to week against different opponents and different schemes are important. I thought they did a great job preparing and set us up for success today."

On Keon Sabb

"I don't think I'm the only one. I think a lot of people have a lot of confidence in him out there, that he's gonna be in the right spot. He's instinctive. He sees the field really well. He just feels things. I just don't know if he's out of position ever. I'm sure there's little details we'll find, but we always trust him. And I love the quiet swagger that he has about him. He just goes out there with a business like approach and he loves the game. And I know he, he's, you know, having fun being here and we're certainly glad he's with the best."

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• I have a lot of confidence in Keon Sabb. He's going to be in the right spot. He's instinctive. He's got great feel. I don't know that he's out of position ever. I'm sure there's some details that we'll find, but I just trust him.
• I think a lot of the chemistry is just so nuanced. We're a work in progress in all those things. There's things I saw that we did a better job, but things we could continue to improve on. I don't want to call it clunky, but just things to work through. We were much more in sync today.
• We were going to be aggressive with our three timeouts. We're going to give our guys a chance to make plays because every possession matters. You get the first play to Ryan and it really gets things going. In the locker room we weren't really happy with leaving the score the same and it drove the team to play focused in the second half.
• Germie using his veteran experience to clear out the play created the play and Jalen Milroe was able to find him right there on the sideline.
• There was a business-like approach to the guys in the locker room. The confidence and the energy was really focused. Some teams, you have so much energy they make mistakes.
• Pritchett being healthy and finding that right five going forward. Wilkin will continue to work in the mix and be apart of it as well. We're going to need them all and it's always about getting better.
• I thought the throw to Ryan was right on the money....
• We expect that performance from LT Overton. He's going to continue to come after you. I love the way he plays and I've got a lot of trust and confidence that he's going to give his best.
• Two strip sacks could've been really big for us, but getting one early and getting that momentum is contagious. We almost had an interception with Keon Sabb too. Those guys are playing aggressive, playing confident.
• I thought the offensive line did a consistent job, making sure Jalen stayed upright and not hurried. It's amazing how the play calls are much easier when you can protect your quarterback. Between running backs and Jalen Milroe finding different ways to attack the run game I felt like everyone was in sync and giving us a chance.
• Malachi got hit to the head so he's just going through the protocol. Russaw is a lower-leg and we'll evaluate it. Richard Young also has a lower leg injury.
• Expecting some good performances, but was really pleased with everything we saw.
• The energy was there all week. The only choice was to go back to work. It was the best rhythm to practice in a week.