Everything Kalen DeBoer said after Alabama's fourth preseason practice

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama held its fourth preseason practice on Sunday morning, and after the Aug. 3 workout, second-year head coach Kalen DeBoer spoke to reporters inside the Hank Crisp Indoor Practice Facility. Below is everything DeBoer said after Practice 4.

DeBoer’s opening statement…

“Good practice No. 4. The last two, obviously, with pads and longer practices. Just challenging the guys, competitive stamina, the physical, the mental piece of it, and I really like how they were able to sustain the energy, sustain the effort and attitude. Just bringing juice, focusing on the next play, all those things that are cliches that are so important to success on the football field.

“That was the challenge, from a big picture, from January, when the guys brought high-level intensity and you narrow it down to each practice and each period and each play. Start to finish, high expectations, and these guys do a good job picking each other up. Every play, there’s gonna be a winner and a loser. So, that side of the ball has gotta keep the pedal down when you win, and the other side’s gotta react and respond the next one. So, like what I see.”

DeBoer on Lotzeir Brooks’ status…

“It won’t be anything long-term or anything like that. It’ll just be a little bit of recovery here. I don’t know if it’s day-to-day, but it’s not gonna be something that’s extended.”

DeBoer on what he’s seen from Alabama’s quarterbacks…

“I think the biggest thing, practice one was good, two, the installs become more and different things. A lot of it’s still base stuff for the most part that these guys have built on (in) spring, summer. But there’s a couple just missed opportunities, really between receivers, skill guys, and the quarterbacks. I thought the last two practices, those near-misses have now been completions. So, that’s what you like to see, where the plays are getting made, the plays are getting drawn up, there’s execution on a high level somewhere. They either miss the throw, and sometimes maybe there’s an offensive line breakdown of some type or something just a little closer and causing a little bit of distraction for the quarterback, but the last two days have really been better. That’s what you want to see.”

DeBoer on Qua Russaw’s status…

“He’s been, he was out there taking team reps. There’s nothing as far as anything we’re concerned about. The volume, a little bit, just tweaked it a little bit, but he’s good, playing at a high level. So just making sure we’re careful. He’s good.

DeBoer on Alabama’s Wolf linebackers…

“Their competitiveness, guys that all want to make sure they’re on the football field. I trust them all. I really do. A lot of just high energy, high effort, they focus on playing at a high level. Great character, great personalities. A lot like what I would say in the quarterback room. They all push each other in a healthy way. There’s some playmakers there. They always do their job, first and foremost, as part of the defensive concept, whatever is called. I like the way they’re getting to the quarterback and really pressing those edges. They’re versatile enough that they can do a lot of other things too, where you put them in spots even once in a while in coverage.”

DeBoer on wide receivers playing multiple positions…

“Rico (Scott)’s one of those guys. He can play inside and outside. I think Isaiah (Horton) could, probably haven’t just pushed him as much there. Some of our formations and things we do, guys end up inside and outside. So, it’s not a secret, we do a lot of condense splits, a lot of spreads. Guys find themselves across the field in a lot of different ways. That’s what we want. We want guys that are extremely versatile, can make the one-on-ones on the outside, but those matchups that we can really try to facilitate in different ways that they all have that opportunity. I think Rico can do that and play inside-outside. I know Isaiah could if we used him a lot at that spot. That’s something I’m sure we’ll add as we go through the year and you game-plan certain situations.”

DeBoer on Isaiah Horton not being built like a slot receiver…

“No, he’s not. Depends on how you look at it and what you want to do with him, but he’s doing a great job. He’s doing a really good job.”

DeBoer on Kam Dewberry, Geno VanDeMark working with the first team…

“I think you’ve got the competitive piece, and then you also have the, this is what we would do, and just guys just learning, cross-training different positions. Geno’s gotta play center, on top of guard. He’s a Swiss Army knife that way, and really important to us. I really like the way he’s developed coming back from a year ago. He clamps onto you, and he stays connected. That’s something I’ve seen really with his growth. He’s comfortable in all those spots, and playing aggressively, playing confidently.”

DeBoer on cross-training offensive guards…

“That’s a good question. I think they’d probably start out at their spots and get most of the snaps. But there might be small situations, as we go through camp and see how it goes and you want to distribute some reps there just to get a guy in a pinch, some reps that he’s comfortable with if he’s put in that spot.” 

DeBoer on having coordinators involved in position drillls…

“Two great coaches, Kane and Grubb, that understand, not just one position, but they understand the details, techniques, the fundamentals that are helping push. Just like, when I’m with a position group, the head coach is watching, you got these coordinators in there, and I love it. I love that they have that ability  and position coaches that really can hold their position intact, and those guys can get around and evaluate, teach, push. Yeah, it’s really great Kane and Grubb can handle those things.” 

DeBoer on Scrimmage 1; expectations for quarterback reps…

“Probably very similar. The first scrimmage is always very similar probably to where you left off. You are going to get more involved as the week goes on, but just a lot of base stuff. We did some situational work, work, again, further along, critical moments. We’re working clutch already, two-minute today. Something it would have been another practice or two later. Third down, I feel like we’re a bit more dialed in on third down, fourth down situations even already today.

“The first scrimmage, though, is a little bit more basic. Feel the need to get some backed up or some goal line in there already, which, a year ago, we probably didn’t push the issue on the goal line stuff in that first scrimmage as much. I think that could be a possibility to run a few more reps. So a lot of the situational work, those critical moments that we know we got to be better at. I think getting a scrimmage in, you got two scrimmages really here that we really put emphasis on that are big ones in the fall that we want to make sure we maximize any opportunity that we have to get in those moments.” 

DeBoer on Noah Carter…

“I think it’s the combination of both from Noah. Just, I think, first starts with him and his maturity. It’s not like he was immature. That’s not the case. I’m talking about every way, everything he does in terms of going about his business, preparation for practice. When he’s out there, it’s about every play, giving everytning he’s got, but learning from both what he’s doing, and now absorbing and learning from others. That’s what mature guys do.

“I just love the way he goes out there. There’s a business mentality, a business-like mentality about him. And then just the production too. Physically, he’s just taken those next steps. And you can see it. His production. He’s in the right spot. He’s able to hold his own against matchups when physicality has to take place. He’s worked hard in the offseason to really get his body build up. Ballou and his staff have done a great job. I think Noah’s a guy that absorbed all that, taken all that in and took advantage of it.”

DeBoer on if the team’s chemistry reflects his own personality…

“The chemistry part – the part that I really push is them holding each other accountable, on top of, yes, it starts with the coaches and myself. We gotta be the culture leaders, but where it really comes to life is from them. And when it means that much to them, and they’re investing, and then the ownership that they have in the team, not just the team as a whole, but he individuals. 

“It starts with, probably position groups and their side of the ball, then when it really catches fire, when each side of the ball can affect each other and influence each other, whether it’s the personal relationships or what’s happening on the football field, to where it gets testy, it gets physical, and it’s only gonna happen more and more as they get more worn down. How we respond, and I just love the direction it’s going. 

“I don’t feel like you’re ever there yet and once you relax, it’s gonna start going the wrong way, and so LT (Overton) would be a guy that really does a great job of making sure he takes care of himself, and how’s he affecting, is he setting the standard of how he wants the guys around him and those he comes in contact with. You know, offensively, he’s pushing those guys to the max in how he plays, but also just their mindset. So yeah, I think I love the direction it’s going. You know again, we’re never there, we’re always gonna be just short, ‘cause if we do get there, it’s gonna start going the wrong way. Love the culture that’s building within the team.”

DeBoer on Alabama’s newcomers at tight end…

“First, it’s good to see Cuevas back out there and get his reps and build that up. I think there’s a lot of learning going on. You got the two guys that came in – really, there’s three that came in in the summer, the two guys transferring in and Kaleb from high school. So, they’re swimming a little bit, just with the physicality piece now that you put the pads on. But they’ve adjusted, I think, just in a way that I would expect. You know, here, even today, I felt like there was growth from yesterday to today. There’s first, understanding your responsibility and executing your job. And the more reps they get at that, the more comfortable they get.

“But Kaleb’s a big target, does a nice job, is very savvy, instinctual. He’s got some of that dual sport in him, and he feels comfortable out in space. I think Jack, physical, kind of a mauler-type guy. And then Brody’s done a nice job, I think, kind of in between, he’s got that experience and got a lot of football under his belt, but he’s also learning, getting used to playing every practice at the level we’re playing, so those guys are doing a nice job adjusting.”

DeBoer on the team’s excitement level to put on full pads…

“These guys are so focused right now on today, and that’s what I love about them. That time’s gonna come. They still even get tomorrow, we don’t have a practice. I just really like how we set up two, one off. Two, and then one off as far as practices, to where they can go out there and they can play extremely fast. This next week will be now where they really grind and get into those padded practices, but they’re doing a great job of focusing on the moment, and so, really, answering that question, it’d be more about haven’t even thought about that yet, and I really truly believe that’s the case.”

DeBoer on Jaylen Mbakwe…

“He’s had a couple – more so right now than the summer – Bak’s made some nice plays here. He’s actually gotten practice kicked off in a good way from an offensive standpoint with some big plays early on. So again, growth happening. It’s fun, it’s great to see. I feel like any player, you’re always looking – can you trust him to get lined up? Can you trust him to do his job? Those are really things that I’m not worried about with Bak, so now it’s just getting comfortable more and more with the offense and the timing, and working with the guys around him. That growth I would hope for is what I’m seeing.”

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