Kalen DeBoer on outside noise leading to Vanderbilt matchup: ‘You can’t help but hear it’

Revenge was sweet for Alabama at home against Vanderbilt on Saturday, defeating the Commodores 30-14 and earning back the upset win from last season. The victory improved the Crimson Tide to 4-1 on the season.

It’s no secret what this game meant to the Crimson Tide, as well as its fanbase. Head coach Kalen DeBoer acknowledged there was a little bit of heightened pressure to win this one. He heard the noise, though didn’t want to make the game bigger than it was.

“There’s enough to where you can’t help but hear it,” DeBoer said postgame. “I can hear it in the questions we get asked in press conferences and with y’all and stuff, so you know it’s out there.

“The thing I’m really proud, and this is what I talk to the guys about. Our guys right now are just showing up and doing the work. That’s what’s got us to this point, and (I) just keep reminding them. And it gets really tempting — I’m sure it’ll be something that pops up — but they’re doing a really good job of just showing up and doing the work and focusing on us, and this is what you get.”

Alabama put up nearly 500 yards of total offense, including 340 passing yards and two touchdowns from QB Ty Simpson. Simpson has proven himself to be one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the SEC this season, and has been the conductor for the Crimson Tide during this four-game win streak. Jam Miller also rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown during the contest.

Vanderbilt kept the game close in the first half. However, Alabama’s defense held strong, holding the Commodores scoreless during the final two quarters. It marks the first loss of the season for Vanderbilt during after a 5-0 start.

“These guys (Vanderbilt) won big at South Carolina, but these (SEC) games are gonna ’round the wire,” DeBoer said. “I just love the way that our thought process and our mindset is, that you gotta be in it for four quarters. We’ve used the analogy of a 15-round heavyweight fight, and that’s what it’s gotta be every single week. We gotta go do that again this next week against Missouri.”

Despite being knocked down in Week 1, the Crimson Tide have won the last four rounds of that fight heading into Week 7. Kickoff between Alabama and Missouri is set for Noon ET and will air live on ABC.