Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer will coach in his first ever SEC game on Saturday. Oh, and his first career SEC game will be against a Georgia Bulldogs team that is ranked No. 1 and has won 42 straight regular season games and 28 straight SEC regular season games.
DeBoer and the Crimson Tide do have several advantages against Georgia. Alabama will be playing at home in a 7:30 p.m. ET game in primetime. There’s no doubt that Tuscaloosa will be amped up for the Georgia game.
Additionally, Alabama has a mental edge. The Crimson Tide are 5-1 against Georgia during the Kirby Smart era. The Crimson Tide also get the added motivation that comes from being a home underdog for the first time in over 15 years.
The Georgia game represents Kalen DeBoer’s biggest test to date in his first year at Alabama. DeBoer has done well with all the pressure of replacing Alabama legend Nick Saban, but there’s no doubt that Crimson Tide fans want the same results against Georgia that Nick Saban produced.
Here’s everything Kalen DeBoer said about the Georgia Bulldogs
DeBoer on the Georgia defense
“You’re going to have a lot of physicality, you’re going to have speed, but they have a system in place where guys are understanding and trusting who’s going to be where,” said DeBoer on the Georgia defense. Georgia is the only team in the country to not allow a touchdown through Week 4.
“What you have to do is create opportunities with matchups, create opportunities to get a step or have that defense freeze or flinch,” continued DeBoer. “That’s offensive football. You try to do that every week. But it becomes a bigger test when you have a program like this that has so much continuity.”
Georgia’s defense will face its biggest challenge of the year. The Bulldogs will try to contain Alabama star quarterback Jalen Milroe, who is involved in almost every rushing (or passing) play.
DeBoer on if the 2023 SEC title game gives Alabama an advantage
“Well, you look back to last year, right? This is a new team, this is a new season, and that’s why I always make sure we’re emphasizing that this is the 2024 Alabama Crimson Tide football team,” said DeBoer on if Alabama’s experience beating Georgia in the SEC championship gives the Crimson Tide an advantage. “But there’s certainly learning moments that you have when you’ve been through the experiences”
DeBoer is right. This is a new Alabama team. The Crimson Tide (and Georgia) lost so many players to the 2024 NFL draft and to the transfer portal this offseason.
“You have to be on your A-game start to finish, and do it as long as it’s needed, no matter how long the game goes,” continued DeBoer, who emphasized that it will be a four quarter game.
DeBoer on playing in a huge game vs. Georgia
“For us, it’s just really honing in and trying to simplify it down to what you really have control of and it’s making sure our energy, attitude and effort is on point. And that we’re going to continue to fight, it’s the battle that’s going to happen on Saturday, but that our preparation is 100% where it needs to be,” said DeBoer.
Both Kalen DeBoer and Georgia head coach Kirby Smart have emphasized the importance of preparation ahead of the Georgia-Alabama game.
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DeBoer on Alabama being home underdogs for the first time since 2007
“That’s no one’s fault that that’s the case, but obviously, there’s good if there’s even one doubter,” said DeBoer. “That falls along with the “LANK” mentality. That’s what we get to do, to let any of the naysayers know what we’re capable of.”
There’s no doubt that DeBoer will use Alabama being home underdogs as motivation for the Crimson Tide.