Alabama football defended its home field on Saturday night, fending off Tennessee inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Tide won 37-20 despite leaving a few openings for the Vols, who couldn’t take advantage of opportunities.
After the game, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer met with the media. He was asked about smoking cigars, the play of quarterback Ty Simpson and more.
Here’s what he said.
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Opening statement
“Just really proud of our guys. Another gutty win against a very good team. Well coached. They constantly put pressure on you, especially with their offense. They got some playmakers defensively. Wasn’t perfect. Would love to have no turnovers and all that good stuff, but our guys did a nice job of just continuing to fight just like we have been. Played for four quarters. Big rivalry game, so glad we can do that for our fanbase and appreciate the support we had tonight. Loud, just great energy from the time we did the walk, our guys felt that. Appreciate everyone showing up for that and just feeding off of it all game long. I think the biggest thing for our guys is just the way they’re committed to the process each and every week. Just, you can see it, you can hear it, pads are popping every single day in practice. They got an edge to them still and haven’t lost it since the beginning there. After week one, that’s hard to do. That’s really hard to do. As you go through the weeks, there’s been enough reasons from different motivation factors to get up for games. Our guys each and every week find a way to do it. We got to keep the pedal down. There was critical moments that we continue to make plays in. Red one in particular. Both sides of the ball, Execute in those times, that’s something we didn’t do a great job of in the past. Just really proud of the guys and they need to enjoy it tonight. Need to stay humble and hungry and keep charging ahead. Got another one next week.”
On if he smoked a cigar
“I haven’t gotten into that yet. We’ve been busy. The guys are enjoying their time downstairs and they need to because they worked hard for it.”
On Alabama’s pass rush
“Just got to keep coming. There’s going to be times where they do a good job just getting rid of the football. They don’t hold to it long enough. I think that’s been a lot of why they’ve been successful. They do a good job of making decisions of where to go with the ball. Quarterback does a really good job. There comes those times, those critical moments, getting him down when you do get your hands on him. As a unit, as a front, that includes linebackers and safeties at times when we bring pressure, working together and not giving up big running lanes for him to escape, whether that’s breaking contain or up the middle. It’s a full defensive unit and just what they’re doing, because you have to have the coverage behind it. They got threats all over the place. I thought we did a really nice job over the course of the game, really keeping them under wraps. Doing what we did in the red zone time and time again, putting our cleats in the dirt, finding – making them snap the ball. We talk about it all the time. Make them snap the ball one more time. At the end of the first half, that’s what it took. Just a smart play by ZB. Knowing that they didn’t have any timeouts. More than likely got to throw it. Just baiting and jumping it and finishing the play. Huge play for us.”
On having energy out of the tunnel before the game
“Our guys were fired up. They got me fired up. I was excited to see them go out there and do their thing. Just, again, before the game, half time, just a lot chatter. A lot of positives. Not too high of a level of emotions, it’s right where I think we understand the week of preparation gets you mentally in the right space where you’re confident going out on the football field. When you’re confident, you got a little more energy. That’s really what I see in our guys. That fires me up. We played, I think the whole game, we channelled the energy into the right things of being disciplined and all of that. I know there were penalties at the end, the last couple drives. I’d rather make them have to earn it. If we get beat or something like that, I’d rather make them have to earn it than just give up some free yards. I’m really pleased with the discipline and how we’re channelling that energy in the right areas.”
On LB Yhonzae Pierre having a strong game on defense
“He’s been right there. I’m really pleased with the last couple weeks of what he’s done. He played a lot of snaps last week. I don’t know what his number was today. Just with the depth chart there and the guys that are out, we’re asking more out of him and he’s rising to the occasion. He works hard in practice. He’s built his stamina up more to where he can compete for four quarters now and that’s just really cool to see. It’s him understanding that any play I can go win one-on-one. Making sure he’s lined up, does his assignment and strains from start to finish each and every play.”
On what he saw from QB Ty Simpson, his response to the rivalry
“I don’t know if I noticed him in a different way than any other game. He’s amped up. For him, I think the big thing is balancing the emotions and just staying within himself. He’s always going to tell you there’s things he can do a little bit better just like every other guy on the football field. He’s understanding where the fine line is for him. I think he just prepares so hard for every game so this game isn’t going to be a lot different. There’s probably a little more feelings and things that go way back and, again, where he’s from and all that. He just prepares so hard for every game that this game wasn’t going to be much different from the others anyway.”
On how his team ran the ball
“The one guy here, the one guy there we just miss. I would love to see us break some tackles at times when we do get out in space. Daniel, I think, had the hot hand in the second half for sure. It was really great to see him do his thing. I felt very confident in him inside and outside. The touchdown, you could see it open up more and more. He’s getting healthier here and so it’s really good to see him out there picking it up for us. More room for improvement. Being committed to it, being committed to the run has helped us be able to still get our opportunities getting the ball down the field. But we need to continue to be better in that area as we go through the season to accomplish the things we want to accomplish.”
On if he’s playing along with the black hoodie or if he believes there’s something to it
“This isn’t new. I’ve done this for years. We’re going to ride the momentum. I told the guys not to get any ashes on it. Whatever works.”
On the emotions of winning, staying undefeated at home
“We talked about that throughout the week. Really reminded the guys last night and again right before we went on the football field that Bryant-Denny is our home. What we’ve done here. How great we’ve played, again, it’s us and the fans working together to bring that energy to make it a home field advantage. There’s a feel that I’ve already felt, I felt it early. Not just this year, but last year. When you’re out there, there’s just a comfort level I think our guys have being out there. Can’t take it for granted. Still have to go out there and make those plays. Having that home-field advantage is a big deal.
“Our guys, as far as just celebrating downstairs in the locker room, a lot of smiles. A lot of smiles, they’re excited. Last week, I would say this, we talk about the 24 hour rule and enjoying that win, I don’t think our guys enjoyed that win much because they were getting ready to go get back to committing to the process. Getting back to work at being better. They know that in both areas, both sides of the ball, we left some things out there on the table that we didn’t take advantage of last week. That will be the case again when we watch the film here from tonight. But we’re playing solid football, team football, that’s what matters. Both sides of the ball. Finding their times to pick up the other. Just guys grinding, trusting that the other side will get it done sooner than later.”
