Some run from it, others embrace it, but change is inevitable.
We saw one sound from the University of Alabama football program for 17 years under Nick Saban.
REATED: Kalen DeBoer on the nucleus of this Alabama team: “They are here for a reason. They want to prove some people wrong.”
The core values of his process were discipline, excellence, commitment, toughness, and pride among others. In practices, it was only the sound of coaches yelling, players sweating and competing, pads popping, and a football whistling through the air. Saban did it his way and six national championships, nine Southeastern Conference Championships, four Heisman Memorial Trophy winners, several top-ranked recruiting classes, several All-Americans, and over 100 players in the National Football League came from it. Alabama fans had a product to brag about under Saban, but now a new man inherits it
Kalen DeBoer did something very different in the first media viewing period of spring practice.
The 49-year-old announced the dawn of a new era by playing music on the field. He kept it going through spring and mixed reviews happened.
Some loved the new vibe while others felt DeBoer was doing too much. Everyone on the team has bought into DeBoer’s method of discipline, but also playing with confidence and swagger.
He is about finding different ways to keep athletes locked in despite distractions.
Some saw the aspect of music as a negative; however, DeBoer explained on “Bussin’ With The Boys” the meaning behind why he instituted having music at practice.
It’s a new era in Tuscaloosa and @KalenDeBoer has already made some changes of his own
Presented by @ChevyTrucks #ad #chevy #silverado pic.twitter.com/Bd4563J7t1
— Bussin’ With The Boys (@BussinWTB) April 30, 2024
“The one that made some waves early in the spring was, you know, we’ll play music in practice,” DeBoer said about the change that caught everyone’s attention. “That was something that had not been done before. So not that I feel like you have to, but I feel like there are a lot of benefits that can come from it. First of all, the juice and energy, the vibe it can create. But there is also ways you can utilize it for, even, you know, distractions. There are a lot of distractions on game day, right?”
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DeBoer went into the distractions that can occur in games, but he’s intentional about doing things in practice to where players remain locked in to assignment football in games.
“You always practice noise stuff, throughout the week especially, you know, home and away, depending if you are offense or defense,” DeBoer said. But, you know, those are just some of the things that I think are benefits of that. That was something that hit, I know the waves a little bit”
DeBoer’s playlist in spring practice ranged from Notorious B.I.G. to Outkast.
He had early 1990s rap mixed in with today’s current artists. The players have taken well to it as it did not hinder them from learning the offensive and defensive installs. Hopefully, DeBoer’s style will lead this Tide team to a national championship.
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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.
