Kalen DeBoer, Alabama football wish basketball team luck in Final Four
Kalen DeBoer said he was going to make his post-scrimmage comments quick. Not because of what he saw on the field at Bryant-Denny Stadium, where Alabama ran 90 plays, but because of the Crimson Tide basketball team’s Final Four matchup with UConn tonight.
“We’ve got a big game we’ve got to get ready for tonight, right?” DeBoer said. “And while I’m at it, good luck to the basketball team. Excited to watch tonight.”
DeBoer and Alabama’s coordinators all discussed the Tide basketball’s first-ever Final Four this week as the football team goes through its penultimate week of spring practice sessions.
KALEN DEBOER
“It’s just been really fun seeing our team here in this last part of the season, I don’t wanna say catch fire. I think they knew what they were capable of doing but just staying the course and the grit, the fight and there’s things that I’ll take from comments made in the media by coaches and players and we’ll use some of those little nuggets to talk about this fall as these guys go on the run and learn from that. But yeah, I can’t wait to watch the game tonight.”
“I’ve gotten to know Coach (Nate) Oats a few years ago. In fact, Tom Allen who I worked for a few years ago and Kalen worked for, Nate went to the same college years ago as Tom Allen. So, I kind of made that connection.
“Always been impressed with him, love the way he carries himself, the way he leads his team. It is fun to watch people that do things at a really high level and do things the right way have success. To see Coach Oats and what that team has done and how hard they have worked, and you see a bunch of guys who are seniors now that have worked a long time to get to this point and get rewarded on the back end of their careers is special. So, I’m excited to see them.”
“It’s actually crazy because Coach Oats was at Romulus High School, which is like 20 minutes from where I went to high school. Actually, he wouldn’t know this. I haven’t had a chance to say hi to him or meet him yet, but I went and watched him coach at Romulus High School. They played Ipsey High. There was a good left-handed kid and Romulus was loaded. Coach probably knows that they had a great team. It was kind of like a big deal. They were playing Ipsey High and they had a left-handed point guard that was a really good player. So it was like a big deal for even local high school kids to go watch. I was the third baseman. So I don’t know why I went to the basketball game, but I took a look at it. But I think it’s been impressive.
“We’re behind them. I mean, it’s been fun to watch. We use Grant Nelson. We used him in our unit meeting the other day and talking about how – we talked about a 1-0 mentality and for him to come through like he did against UNC, I think, was amazing. I think we all would agree with that. So we’re pulling hard for him. And it’s been fun to watch. And what a great job Coach has done and the staff. And most importantly, the players. I mean, Sears was lights-out, boys. I mean, it was unbelievable, right? I mean, it’s crazy, right? So we’re right behind them and wish them the best of luck.”
ALABAMA PLAYERS
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