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Urban Meyer admits he is 'worried about Alabama right now'

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby: Grant Grubbs09/04/25grant_grubbs_
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Junfu Han | USA TODAY NETWORK

Alabama left fans stunned on Saturday after falling 31-17 to the Florida State Seminoles, who posted a 2-10 record last season. During an appearance on The Herd on Thursday, former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer weighed in on the state of Alabama’s football program.

“Kalen DeBoer has been great to me. I think his record speaks for himself, but he’s in it now,” Meyer said. “Mark Ingram‘s on our show, and we talk about it all the time. When the word ‘Not running to the ball, not giving great effort,’ comes out of your mouth, and you say the word Alabama after that, that doesn’t compute. That hasn’t happened in a long time, and I’m worried about Alabama right now.”

Alabama’s culture has been a widespread talking point since the Crimson Tide’s loss on Saturday. In the wake of the surprising outcome, college football fans have called out Alabama’s effort, comparing it to the program’s successful past teams.

Evidently, average fans aren’t the only ones who noticed a lack of passion from the Crimson Tide. In the loss, Alabama’s defense couldn’t find stops.

FSU particularly dominated Alabama’s defense in the ground game, amassing 230 total rushing yards. Meyer believes head coach Kalen DeBoer won’t be able to fix the issue alone and will need leaders on the team to step up.

“I saw signs that there’s something either in a locker room, there’s something — I made this comment on Big Noon,” Meyer said. “He better have some grown ass men in that locker room. Ryan Day, when they lost to the Wolverines last year, they flipped it around. You know why? Everybody gives the coaches credit. I get it. But in that locker room were some grown ass men that weren’t going to put up with that.

“A coach is a coach. I get it. But, at some point, those veterans — and I use the term ‘grown ass men’ — better show up in that locker room and get that right. Coaches can’t get that right. Coaches do the best they can, but players play.”

Alabama players have heard the chatter. On Tuesday, Alabama tight end Josh Cuevas revealed the team held a players-only meeting earlier this week to discuss the loss.

On Saturday, the Crimson Tide will have a chance to bounce back from their loss when they take on UL Monroe at 7:45 p.m. ET. The game will air live on the SEC Network.