Kalen DeBoer reveals the biggest change he’s had to make from year one to two as Alabama’s head coach
Kalen DeBoer and the Tide have taken massive strides, and he revealed why.
If you’re going to be the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, you are going to need some thick skin. Kalen DeBoer found that out first hand last year, and for sure after Week 1 against Florida State.
Even now, despite a historic stretch of wins and a top-five ranking in the AP Poll, many are waiting for DeBoer and his Heisman Trophy frontrunning QB to slip up.
But amid the winning streak and correcting of course thus far, the Tide have developed what DeBoer calls an “edge.” It started after Week 1, and it has carried them through. But what about the coach himself? What has allowed him to change? DeBoer revealed that on Wednesday.
Kalen DeBoer on what he’s changed while coaching at Alabama
“I think you have more experience and more knowledge, and you have the offseason to prep the guys, and we’ve had more situational work [on things] we fell short on a year ago,” said DeBoer during Wednesday’s SEC media call. “The two-minute drill has been a big one, whether it’s us offensively or defensively. At the end, especially of the first half, we’ve been very successful. I think that’s one that naturally look to and I think just the grit of our football team is a huge compliment to how our coaches continue to work together.”
From a schematic and execution standpoint, Alabama is much more buttoned up this year. The ability to keep drives alive on third down, to not panic in times of uncertainty, and above all else, to adjust to what’s working, has been evident in year two under DeBoer. But there is something deeper.
“I love that about our coaching staff, and the way it trickles down to our players,” added DeBoer on the cohesion in year two. “They fight together, they believe in each other. And I think that’s a lot of what, relating to myself, I’ve been able to just really tap into, not just the guys as a whole, but also really individually, be able to know what makes one guy tick versus another.”
And that right there has been the secret sauce. You didn’t see Kalen DeBoer jumping up and down on the sideline, ripping his coordinators for bad calls or greeting his players after every drive, good or bad, last year. That has all changed this year.
It’s the culture. Year 1 was learning on the fly. Year two has been instilling his culture, while making sure to uphold the Alabama Crimson Tide’s standard. And it’s still early, but Alabama and DeBoer are doing a good job thus far in 2025.
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