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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Kalen DeBoer era is officially underway on the football field. Alabama opened its spring camp Monday with the first of 15 practices. Crimson Tide players donned shorts and helmets for the two-hour workout as DeBoer took the first steps toward implementing his new system.
Following practice, the first-year head coach spoke with reporters, stating he was pleased with his team’s effort and execution on Day 1 of camp. Here’s a transcript of what DeBoer said as well as my takes on his comments.
Opening statement
Man, all of the sudden, just like that, practice one is over. It was a great day out there as first practices always are. Full of energy, full of excitement. This came on fast and the practice went fast. Really clean. I was proud of our coaches and staff, as well as our players, just for really understanding kind of the things we’re trying to accomplish today. Not just the execution on the football field when it came to running our concepts and our players, but the transitions.
It’s new for everyone, and I thought the guys did a great job. You could see the want-to, the desire. It was there through the effort they gave. So I thought it came together in a nice way. They protected each other, which is a big thing when it comes to our practice habits. We want to be healthy and be able to improve every play, and the only way to improve is by being out there. So I think that’s one of the key things in what we’re doing all season long is being really intentional in what we’re doing, whether it’s building relationships or how we practice — creating those habits that are what we call championship habits. And I think they did a really nice job with that today.
Tony’s take: The first practice of camp is sort of like the first day of school. Everyone is feeling each other out and getting used to their new surroundings. Optimism on Day 1 is expected, but DeBoer seems genuinely pleased with his unit to open camp.
On headset communication
“We were doing it today. So we had it out there. With supply and demand across the country, we aren’t able to have as many as what the max would be. But we had a couple quarterbacks with that in.
“I haven’t heard any feedback yet. I think early on there were a couple of times it was hard to hear, one way or another. I don’t think it was too soft. I think it was actually because it was too loud. But I’m sure that will get tested in our stadium at some point.
“But I think there’s a lot of reasons for it, you know, that I know it can be positive. I don’t know that it answers all the concerns you might have when it comes to some of the things that people will say it automatically fixes — maybe sign-stealing and things like that. Because I think there are other ways it could go the other way, just with being intentional and trying to get a call and being able to echo it through your defensive headset. I could go on and on with that.
“But it was good. I think the quarterbacks were just getting used to it, I saw them a couple of times putting their hand up to their helmet and listening, but for the most part it seemed clean.”
Tony’s take: Earlier this month, the NCAA proposed rules that would allow schools to use coach-to-player communications through helmets on the field. Helmet communicators could go into effect this fall if the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approves the ruling on April 18.
The biggest problem with helmet communicators at the moment is that everyone wants them. As DeBoer pointed out, Alabama only has a limited number of them available, so the Tide will have to be selective with who works with them in practice. Still, it will be helpful to work out any of the kinks in the communication process before the fall.
On what surprised him most since taking the job
“I don’t think that it’s unexpected but the thing I want to give our guys props about and props for is just how open they’ve been to everything that we’ve asked them to do. So it doesn’t surprise me. They’ve embraced all the little differences and nuances that different personalities bring, just different ideas that we have. It’s just been really smooth. And it’s a huge credit to our guys. I think our staff has done a good job of being aligned and on the same page and being organized to where it’s very clear and concise and the expectations are something that the guys can easily understand.”
Tony’s take: Things might be running smoothly for DeBoer now, but he’s been through a whirlwind since taking over Alabama in mid-January. He knew what he was getting into when he took the job. He also had confidence in him and his staff’s ability to weather the storm. Still, the transition has been pretty impressive so far.
On if he tweaked the 4th Quarter Program
"No, we kept it pretty consistent with what it’s been. The guys, you can tell it’s something they felt really strong about. The energy is there, from the beginning to the end. I think the key is, right, is taking that in the workouts in the early winter months here and transferring that over to football. That was the challenge today.
“We have a period at the end where we gather. We refer to it – I’ve done this many years – we refer to it as the finish, the fourth-quarter period. Being able to connect to what they just did the last few weeks with the fourth-quarter program, it’s transferring that from the indoor and the workouts that they’re doing onto the football. I think that excites them. There’s been a lot of football games won because of the work that’s been put in, because of that program, and they believe in it. It’s going to be important for us this fall, for sure."
Tony’s take: The 4th Quarter Program was a staple of Nick Saban’s process at Alabama, and DeBoer is smart to keep it intact. The grueling preseason program is a good initiation period for young players and can help build a healthy ethos centered around hard work and discipline throughout the team.
On what he wants to see from his coaching staff
"I told the players that they’re excited to watch their own film now. When you bring in concepts, whether it’s offense, defense, or special teams, the coaching staff brings in your ideas, which usually involves cut-ups from the programs you came from.
"I told the players when we broke down that we get to watch some of their film, which I know they’re all excited to do.
"From a coaching standpoint, to me, there’s a lot of pieces to our job, but right now, it’s for us to give them feedback. They need feedback on everything that happened — the grading on every play, and giving feedback to our guys so they can understand, whether it’s that play or that practice or the session we were in, like a 7-on-7 period or a team period, and even individual. Why did this drill go well? Giving them feedback all the time is a big priority for us as a coaching staff so the guys can continue to understand the expectations and continue to improve.
"We have these maxims we refer to, and one of our maxims is to have a relentless pursuit of continuous improvement. We don’t take any of those words lightly, from relentless all the way to pursuit of improvement. That’s the thing I’ll ask our guys tomorrow when we get together and review the practice. Was that the mindset? Was that clear from the beginning to the end?"
Tony’s take: Communication will be key over the next few weeks. DeBoer knows breaking in his new system will take some time and require a bit of patience. His main focus seems to be on conveying expectations and making sure his players continue to make positive momentum.
While I don’t think DeBoer is the softy some are making him out to be, I don’t think he’ll take the same approach Saban did on the practice field. From the sound of it, Alabama’s staff will be more player-friendly while still holding players accountable for their performance.
On Michigan safety transfer Keon Sabb
“You bring a guy like that in to be an impact player for you. His experiences, not just each play, but the experiences and leadership that he took his (past) team to in winning a championship, as he’s here long and longer, that fits in well with what we’re trying to accomplish and what we’re trying to do.
“The character makeup, aside from what we know is a great football player, he’s a really good fit for us. It’s been a pleasure getting to know him more and more each and every day, just seeing how he’s operating. Right now, he’s just going about his work, but you can tell he’s got that it-factor and the leadership piece within him and we’ll be counting on him this fall."
Tony’s take: DeBoer’s first sentence speaks volumes on how he views Sabb's role on this year’s team. Alabama needs to replace four of its five starters from last year’s secondary. Sabb, 6-foot-1, 208 pounds, has the ability to play in the slot as well as at deep safety. Regardless of where he lines up, he figures to be part of Alabama’s first-team setup.
On the pillars he wants to build his program on
“We have the maxims that we refer to, and number one is, winners win because that’s what winners do. Winning, I know that’s a results-oriented piece to it, but what we focus on is really what the winners do. The winners in our program have an attention to detail. They compete. We go on and on. We have a list of those things. The habits they create each and every day will lead to the winning aspect. We’re never going to shy away from that being important here at Alabama.
“The second one is, first be your best, then you’ll be first. In there, it’s ‘be your best.’ Bring your best energy, attitude, and effort every day, and that’s the number one and really only thing that we ask of our guys, and the rest takes care of itself. When we do that, good things are going to have, especially when you have the talent that we have, the coaching, the skill, the players that are within this program, good things are going to happen.
In order to be your best, you have to have the relentless pursuit of continuous improvement that I referred to.
Tony’s take: Both of these pillars fit into the process approach Saban instilled during his tenure. Of course, DeBoer is interested in results. His time at Alabama won’t last long if he doesn’t deliver wins. However, like Saban, he knows that winning is developed through daily habits.
Energy, attitude and accountability seem to be the key attributes DeBoer is looking from his players. If he can get that, Alabama has the talent and developers necessary to build a winning program.
On if he has benchmarks set for spring camp
“Yeah. Every year is different, and you have to start over from scratch. If this is Year Two for me, here, I would still go back to the bare bones of setting down the expectations, because we’re around 30 new players here in the program. With that, you have to talk about, what’s the tempo that we’re operating with in practice when we’re in helmets and spider pads? What is it when we’re in helmets and shoulder pads? What is it when it’s helmets and full pads?
“You have to go back to those details and conversations and lay out the expectations so that everybody is on the same page. There are guys that took their first snaps as a college football player here. A lot of these guys did some things during the bowl season, as early enrollees.
“But we’d still start over from scratch. We would be intentional on our communication as coaches, intentional about what we’re asking, and the new leaders that are stepping up, they may have been leaders before, but there’s a new dynamic in place. There are some guys that are gone that were integral pieces to not just the production but leading this football team last year. It all starts over, whether it’s the first year, second year, third year. It all starts over.
Tony’s take: DeBoer brings up a good point here. While the learning period is always more severe following a coaching change, every offseason requires a bit of molding to break in new players and build chemistry within the unit. Every team develops its own identity, and a lot of that is formed at this point in the year.
On if he’s taking a clean-slate approach and if he’s conveyed that to his players
"Yeah I don't know if I really said it in those terms, but the others, you're gathering information everyday, right? I'm getting to know them. They're getting to know myself and the staff. Those first impressions, I know are important for those guys as they're out there today competing and making plays. The intensity was high and I would expect it to be that as they, as you said, have kind of a new slate and everyone's starting from the same point.”
Tony’s take: By the sound of it starting jobs aren’t guaranteed. While I don’t expect DeBoer to totally ignore previous roles, he’ll need his players to prove themselves under his watch. That could create a few interesting position battles moving forward.
On if Jalen Milroe is his guy at QB
"Yeah you want competition, right? The competitions always going to be there. Someone had to take the first reps today with the ones when we lined up and we referred to them as that and Jalen did. So he's putting everything into that he can along with the other guys that took those first reps. I fully expect those guys that are really hungry to be pushing those guys that are ahead of them to be their best. That's what you want in a football program. That certainly can be the case here with so many good football players here wanting to get on the football field.”
Tony’s take: It’s no surprise Milroe is starting the spring as Alabama’s QB1. I expect the redshirt junior to be given every opportunity to retain his starting role behind center.
Alabama’s best shot of winning is for Milroe to develop as a passer. His dual-threat ability implemented into DeBoer’s already high-flying attack would be a nightmare for the rest of college football.
However, if Milroe is unable to click under the new setup, Alabama will find a quarterback who can. The Tide has one of the deepest quarterback rooms in the nation as it returns Milroe as well as redshirt sophomore Ty Simpson and redshirt freshman Dylan Lonergan. The Tide also brought in Washington transfer Austin Mack, who enrolled early before spending his redshirt freshman season learning DeBoer's system behind Heisman Trophy finalist Michael Penix Jr.
All four of Alabama's quarterbacks have the talent to lead the offense this fall. Ultimately that competition should bring out the best in the unit and ensure that Alabama is in good hands regardless of who wins the job.
On his first impressions of the coaching staff
“I think they really take coaching well. We have specific jobs or descriptions of what the coaches job and players job are. We’re very intentional, I’ve said that word a lot. We talk about the coaches job is being to teach, critique and demand.
“We really talk about the critique part and the demanding part. When we’re pushing a guy and we’re asking more out of him. When we’re coaching them up, that’s a good thing because that means we care and we see that potential in them and that’s our job. I think the guys just really see that and can feel it today. From a players standpoint its to continue to grind, to continue to (inaudible) as we do and compete each and every play.”
Tony's take: This reinforces my previous statement about how DeBoer expects his staff to coach. I expect Alabama coaches to be clear in their demands of players while providing plenty of feedback.
How smooth was the logistics of practice?
“Yeah we talked through the last week a few different time just where these locations are for each session and it was actually pretty smooth. The guys had a pretty good feel of where to go. What that allows you to do is then have the expectation of hustling and having a bounce in your step. The energy never fell off the entire length of practice. I think when it comes to execution as far as how smooth things were.
“I think practice one is just your base stuff on each side of the ball. Where it will get hard is when you get into each continual install. Practice two, but then especially practice three and four and five. As we continue to put more in offensively or defensively and then the other side of the ball is putting something in as well and that’s when it becomes something where not just what you have to do but also what you’re going against.
“Today was great. I thought it was smooth from transitions to just how hard we competed. Guys stayed up and that helps with our health and I thought our execution was pretty good. It’s going to be a give and take, that’s what you want from a head coach’s standpoint the offensive guys want to dominate and the defensive guys want to dominate each and every play but from my standpoint I want to see that good give and take and that was certainly the case today.”
Tony's takes: It would have been interesting to watch practice and see how just how smoothly things actually operated. However, I'm taking DeBoer for his word here. I'm sure there will be a few slip-ups as players get used to the new routine, but it looks like the Crimson Tide is of to a nice start under its new head coach.
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