A feeling of excitement is in the air around the University of Alabama football program.
Nick Saban provided consistency and stability for 17 seasons, but Kalen DeBoer is now the head coach.
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He held his first press conference for reporters on Monday after spring practice. DeBoer has appreciated the energy and effort from players and coaches from the moment he arrived in Tuscaloosa (Ala.) to going through the 4th Quarter Program. He did not change anything from how Saban had offseason workouts constructed, but DeBoer can tell how much players believe in being the most well-conditioned team in college football.
DeBoer said he loved the way the players came out of 4th Quarter in to practice.
“The energy is just there,” DeBoer said about the players during the 4th Quarter Program.
“I think the key is taking the workouts in the early winter months and transferring that to football. That was the challenge today. We had a period at the end where we gathered and we have referred to it as ‘Finish the 4th Quarter Period.’ To be able to connect to what they just did the last few weeks with the 4th Quarter Program, that’s transferring it from the indoor and workouts they are doing to the football field, I think that excites them. There has been a lot of football games won because of the work put in because of the program, and they believe in it. It is going to be important for us this fall for sure.”
JaMarcus Shephard, Alabama’s assistant head coach, co-offensive coordinator, and wide receivers coach, was one of the main coaches in video clips from the program motivating players.
After not winning a national championship in the last three years, Alabama is hungry to hold the College Football Playoff trophy again. DeBoer is off to a good start with this group in spring.
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Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
