Kalen DeBoer will keep one Nick Saban tradition at Alabama

New Alabama football coach Kalen DeBoer is following in Nick Saban's footsteps

Since coming on as Alabama football coach, Kalen DeBoer has tried to re-make the program in his image, and while he notably got rid of one old Nick Saban rule, he's also planning on keeping one of the GOAT's traditions alive going forward.

After his first practice, DeBoer confirmed to reporters that he has maintained Saban's traditional fourth quarter conditioning plan, a training regimen he put in place years ago that aims to make sure players keep their strength late in football games.

"We kept it pretty consistent with what it's been," DeBoer told reporters. "The guys, you can tell it's something they feel really strongly about."

Saban instituted the fourth quarter-focus training regimen when he first arrived at Alabama along with strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran.

The system involves a focus on legwork and running, starting off slow and building over time so players can naturally build a store of energy that will maintain them late in games when their opponents usually are losing strength.

Cochran joined the Georgia football program under Kirby Smart in 2020 and helped build its conditioning strategy. UGA won two national championships before Cochran resigned last month.

But the strategy he helped build at Alabama is staying put.

"There's been a lot of football games won because of the work that's been put in because of that program," DeBoer said. "They believe in it, and it's going to be important for us this fall, for sure."

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