‘We’d been there before’ – Kalen DeBoer made an honest admission about the crowd noise at Neyland Stadium during Alabama’s loss to Tennessee
Tennessee fans were incredibly loud during the Volunteers’ 26-10 win over Alabama in Neyland Stadium last weekend.
Tennessee showed the nation what Neyland Stadium looks like at its absolute best last weekend against Alabama.
Vols fans were incredibly loud — the noise reached a peak of 130.3 dB — and it had a big impact on the way Alabama’s offense operated.
The Crimson Tide’s offense had five pre-snap penalties in the 26-10 loss to Tennessee.
After the game, Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell downplayed the impact that Vols fans had on the game.
“It’s a tough environment,” said Russell. “But I wouldn’t say it was the environment that shook me. I wouldn’t even say it was anything that shook me.
“There was stuff in front of me that I could’ve easily took and I was forcing the ball somewhere else.”
Part of Alabama’s offensive struggles against Tennessee were due to playing a backup center, but Russell said communication wasn’t an issue despite playing in front of a deafening crowd.
“The communication piece wasn’t a struggle,” said Russell. “Not to the (offensive line), nor to the receivers.”
Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer says Tennessee’s crowd impacted the game
While Russell downplayed the impact that Neyland Stadium had on the game, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer was clear this week that Vols fans affected the Crimson Tide’s offense.
“We’ll face something similar to that here in a couple weeks (on the road against LSU on November 7), and so you definitely have to learn from it,” said DeBoer on his radio show. “We’d been there before, the coaches. [There were] a lot of new faces on our football team that hadn’t been there.
“But it does affect you. As much as you want to say it doesn’t, it does. It affects how you get off the football, and it affects momentum and energy and all of that. Our execution, I think, wasn’t up to the standard that we want and need. But that’s what home field advantage is all about. That’s why before we get off the air, I’m going to be calling for our fans to do the same thing and have the environment that we know we have every single home game as well — because it affects you when you have that behind you. Just having to go to a silent cadence and things like that. It’s all the little pieces that make a difference.”
It was clear that Neyland affected Alabama throughout the game. DeBoer, in fact, quite literally wore it on his face.
Tennessee will be on the other side of the crowd noise this weekend in Columbia against South Carolina. The Vols have lost six of their last eight games in Williams-Brice Stadium, so it’ll be key for Tennessee to get off to a quick start and take the crowd out of the game early.
