Kalen DeBoer says he doesn't get jitters; Alabama coordinators praise his steadiness
Video above: Kalen DeBoer and Hugh Freeze prepare for their season openers
It's the first pregame news conference for head coach Kalen DeBoer as he starts a new era of Alabama football.
He and his coordinators took the podium Monday morning ahead of Saturday's 6 p.m. CST game against Western Kentucky.
>> FOLLOW YOUR TEAMS: Sports coverage from 米兰体育 13
DeBoer ahead of first game
DeBoer said he doesn't get first game jitters, but he gets butterflies. He talked to his team about being nervous or anxious and stated it's good to be a little nervous, because it means you care. But, he said, it comes down to preparation.
The preparation goes deeper than most people would expect. Things like where people are on the sidelines, how people enter the stadium and hotel expectations leading up to the game.
"It's all about the schedule," DeBoer said about his pre-game rituals.
It can change based on the time of the game, but things like chapel, eating and getting ready all have a timeframe."
Listen to DeBoer below.
Coordinators on DeBoer
The ability to hear from the coordinators isn't something most fans are used to.
Offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan said there has been a lot of growth in the locker room. The players all seem to genuinely care about each other and call each other up to greatness.
"His attention to detail, his intensity, his focus is steady all the time," Sheridan said of DeBoer.
He said it shows he is a great leader, because he doesn't change ahead of game day. He is steady.
Listen to the coordinators below.
Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack also noted the level of confidence and humility that DeBoer brings to the table.
"That is a super power; the way he is able to keep the main the main thing amidst the noise," Wommack said.
Wommack is also excited about the freshman class, which he said really impresses him.
"We always want to be the team that when you turn on the tape, we are playing a swarm defense," Wommack said.
He continued, "That needs to show up on Saturday."
Background
So far, DeBoer has built a 2025 recruiting class rated No. 2 nationally, according to the 247Sports composite rankings.
His biggest coups have come outside the state, including landing Texas quarterback Keelon Russell. Rival Auburn, meanwhile, has pulled in pledges from eight of the state鈥檚 top-10 2025 recruits.
While DeBoer's predecessor, Nick Saban, is known to be larger-than-life, DeBoer is quieter, yet confident.
The question comes so frequently, it would have undoubtedly frustrated Saban: What鈥檚 it like to be the man who replaces The Man?
Every single time, DeBoer takes it in stride like it鈥檚 the first time he鈥檚 heard it.
鈥淚 totally get it. I understand there鈥檚 only one Coach Saban,鈥� DeBoer said at SEC media days in July. 鈥淭here will only ever be one Coach Saban. This program is special, and I guess I just take it as a great honor to be the one that gets to do everything we can to carry on the tradition.鈥�
>> FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL: | | |
This article contains information from The Associated Press.