DeBoer’s shares his thoughts on people claiming Alabama is no longer the standard

Sep 28, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart and Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer greet each other before the game at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images

Coach Kalen DeBoer and some members of the Crimson Tide took to the microphone in Tampa during SEC Media Days on Wednesday, which gave DeBoer a chance to respond to those claiming that Alabama is no longer the standard.

“We always want to have that expectation that you’re referring to,” DeBoer said after being asked about how Alabama used to be the face of the SEC and what he has to do to get back to that point. “We felt like we righted a wrong a little bit last year compared to the year before with some of the things we accomplished. We also understand we fell short of our expectations internally.”

DeBoer led the Tide to a 10-2 regular season, which was marked mostly by the season-opening upset to Florida State before Alabama lost to Oklahoma later on. However, the Tide did make the SEC Championship and the playoffs.

Although neither of those postseason events was recognized for much success, aside from getting revenge on the Sooners in Norman, it still gave some doubters of DeBoer some comfort after he went 9-4 in his first year in Tuscaloosa.

Since DeBoer chose to follow in the footsteps of legendary coach Nick Saban, he’s always understood the pressure and the expectations that would come with that; however, that’s never truly been his focus.

“I guess that’s my experience over the years: you can see what the bar is at, and sometimes you can look and say you’re this close and sometimes you’re further away,” DeBoer said. “Sometimes it’s the perspective and the way you look at it.”

But what to do to put a championship in perspective? Improving by taking it one step at a time.

“But for us, the way I’ve accomplished it in the past is really challenge every group in the team, wherever you’re at, is to improve,” DeBoer said. “We’ve got to address our weaknesses. Got to make sure we continue to keep our strengths in order in who we are, understanding our identity, and continue to learn from those things that have happened to us, both good and bad. Be better, you know, and focus on what we can control, and that’s the next play, next moment, the next game, whatever is in front of us.”