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‘Welcome to the SEC’: How Kalen DeBoer approaches conference play in first Alabama football season

Kalen DeBoer is still in the process of experiencing his Alabama football firsts: the first practice, the first win, the first road trip. Through those moments, he said, his goal is to simplify it, to know that what is coming next is bigger than what he’s just completed.

But none of those firsts have been bigger than the next first DeBoer and the Crimson Tide are about to face.

Starting with No. 1 Georgia on Saturday, Alabama kicks off its first conference schedule under DeBoer, a slate that includes five games against teams in the top-18 for the Week 5 US LBM Coaches Poll, three of which are on the road in Tennessee, LSU and Oklahoma.

“It’s ‘Welcome to the SEC,’ right? But it’s going to happen to us, right?” DeBoer said. “There’s going to be a lot of great teams that we’re going to face.”

Aug 31, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer watches his team warm up in Bryant-Denny Stadium before the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. This is DeBoer’s first game as Crimson Tide head coach. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

There is one first that hung over DeBoer’s head as he signed on to be Nick Saban’s successor at Alabama: a first SEC win.

In DeBoer’s coaching career, he was offensive coordinator in six games against SEC opponents, all of which ended in losses: 2011 when Southern Illinois lost to Ole Miss, 2014 when Eastern Michigan lost to Florida, 2015 when Eastern Michigan lost to LSU, 2016 when Eastern Michigan lost to Missouri, 2017 when Fresno State lost to Alabama and 2019 when Indiana lost the Gator Bowl to Tennessee.

Of those games, the Hoosiers’ Gator Bowl loss to the Volunteers was the only one decided by less than 18 points, falling 23-22 after Tennessee scored two unanswered touchdowns in the…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/welcome-sec-kalen-deboer-approaches-090939733.html

Author : The Tuscaloosa News

Publish date : 2024-09-24 09:09:39

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