What Alabama football players told Kalen DeBoer about replacing Nick Saban

Not everyone is built to replace a living legend.

Not everyone can withstand what goes along with it, particularly when it comes to expectations for a football program like Alabama. But as one of the players who helped hold the Crimson Tide roster together when legendary Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban retired on Jan. 10, offensive guard Tyler Booker and other veteran teammates had some advice about the subject for new coach Kalen DeBoer upon his arrival.

“The thing we all told coach DeBoer is, ‘Don’t come in here and try to be Nick Saban. Be you.’ Because (DeBoer has) been successful everywhere he’s been,” Booker said, “and it’s up to us to come together and adapt to his culture, and him (to) adapt to our culture as well, so we can become one.”

In other words, walk in your own shoes and don’t bother trying to walk in Saban’s. It’s good advice for anyone in such a position, and Booker said while DeBoer has brought in some changes to the program that are his own, he’s also maintained some things that were important to players.

Such as?

“Such as the fourth quarter (offseason workout program),” Booker said. “The fourth quarter is a staple of this program and it’s a rite of passage for all the older guys. I met Najee Harris at the Super Bowl. He said ‘Are y’all still doing fourth quarter?’ I said ‘Of course.’ So being able to have that in common with former Bama players is huge.”

Reach Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter @chasegoodbread.

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This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: What Alabama players told Kalen DeBoer about replacing Nick Saban

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/alabama-football-players-told-kalen-012038616.html

Author : The Tuscaloosa News

Publish date : 2024-03-09 01:20:38

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