After Alabama’s 26-10 loss to Tennessee, Kalen DeBoer didn’t sugarcoat what comes next for his team. He told reporters the Crimson Tide are headed into a stretch that will test them in a way they haven’t experienced much over the past year or two.
“I just said it’s going to be really uncomfortable,” DeBoer said. “Again, everything I said to those guys, it’s not like I didn’t feel like they practiced.
We had a lot of motivation to come back and have a great week and prepare for this game, but moving forward, it’s going to be another level of uncomfortable. A lot of guys haven’t been through the last year or the last two.
I know they feel it, and our older guys mentioned that even a couple weeks ago and what it’s going to be like on this stretch. The key is that you just hone in on one game.
Don’t look at the big picture. Just hone in on one game and believe that you have a team that can get it done.”
DeBoer said he saw enough in his players after the game to believe they were still fighting.
“I thought just looking at the guys in the eyes and stuff; they were scraping until the end, and that’s what this is going to be about moving forward is continuing to believe that we’re going to find a way,” DeBoer said. “You got to pick up and come to work.
We just mentioned the SEC and all the teams. Everyone is going through it, so whose gonna respond and get it done?
We’ve been through this before, and we’ve gotten it done. So, we have to make sure we get it done here moving forward.
I told the guys that this is a team that can do it. You got to catch some breaks.
You got to stay healthy, but that’s everyone across the board.”
The loss also came with a few clear problem areas. Tennessee running back Desean Bishop gashed Alabama for 159 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Keelon Russell turned it over three times and finished with just 147 passing yards.
Now sitting with two losses, Alabama’s margin for error has shrunk considerably. The next chance to reset comes next Saturday, when Texas A&M visits Tuscaloosa.
In Other News...
DeBoer Called Out What Fueled Alabamas Offensive Meltdown At Tennessee
Tennessees defense spent Saturday night making Alabama look unsteady in all the ways that matter, forcing four turnovers and holding the Crimson Tide to just 201 total yards in a 26-10 loss in Knoxville. DeSean Bishop led the way for the Vols with 159 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while Alabama was stuck all night trying to find any rhythm against a defense that kept the pressure on and the Tide off schedule.
Kalen DeBoer was left to sort through the offensive breakdown afterward, and his halftime message pointed straight at the emotional side of the meltdown. Alabama needed more composure and better decisions, but those fixes were easier to identify than to find once Tennessee had taken control of the game and turned every mistake into a bigger problem for the Tide. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Saban Backed Alabama But His GameDay Warning Stood Out
As ESPNs College GameDay rolled through its weekly pick segment, the usual mix of confidence and caution came out around Alabamas trip to Tennessee. Pat McAfee and Steve Young leaned into some eye-catching calls elsewhere on the board, but the conversation around the Crimson Tide centered on a familiar theme: talent is one thing, handling the road in that atmosphere is another. Nick Saban was part of the broadcast lineup, adding his perspective as the analysts weighed the strengths and challenges facing both teams.
The picks themselves mostly tilted Alabamas way, with the panel generally backing the Crimson Tide against Tennessee while Young was the outlier. Still, Sabans presence gave the segment extra weight, especially as the discussion turned from simple prediction to warning signs and execution. Even in a show built around official picks, the broader takeaway was less about who everyone chose and more about how thin the margin can be when Alabama steps into a game like this. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Saban Sees One Real Threat In Alabama's Trip To Neyland
The buildup to Alabamas Week 7 trip to Neyland Stadium is centered on more than just the rankings, because Tennessees defense has given the Crimson Tide a real reason to pause. Former Alabama coach Nick Saban singled out the Volunteers on College GameDay, pointing to a group that can limit scoring, defend the pass and pressure the quarterback, all traits that tend to make life difficult for even the most polished offenses.
For Alabama, that means every possession could matter in a matchup that already carries plenty of weight. The Tide are headed into one of the SECs louder environments with a defense on the other side that looks built to make the game uncomfortable, and how Alabama handles that pressure may go a long way toward deciding whether the afternoon in Knoxville turns into a statement or a struggle. [Read more 🡒]