Alabama defeated South Florida for a second straight year in a game that was close again for the most part.
Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide finished the dedication of Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium with a victory; however, one the wildest things happened on social media.
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A small section of Alabama fans were calling for Coach DeBoer to be fired, criticizing him for not having the same mannerisms as Nick Saban during the game. We became accustomed to seeing Saban chewing out coaches, referees, and players when things were not going well. We also saw him slam headsets to the ground. The consumers of college football, especially Alabama football, saw this as passion. DeBoer has his style and though it may not be what people are use to, it does not warrant early criticism.
A former Tide player reminded fans on X why they should be 100 percent behind DeBoer. Marquis Maze, a two-time BCS National Champion wide receiver in 2009 and 2011, remembers moments where things did not go right under Saban.
He shared how people called for Saban to be fired, though the 72-year-old won six national championships at Alabama.
Not one ounce of disrespect to the goat but I can remember when games wasn’t going in our favor where some of these people was calling for him to call it quits, my point is yall asking those coaches to show their full deck of cards on the first and second hand 😂
— Marquis Maze (@Mazeboy4) September 9, 2024
IN DeBoer I Trust so don’t ask me how I feel about him and his coaching staff, I believe in everything they doing and players they’re doing it with.
— Marquis Maze (@Mazeboy4) September 9, 2024
Tide fans need to be patient with DeBoer. He has a team that is growing in playing together.
Alabama can be one of the best teams in college football and potentially capture a College Football Playoff National Championship in DeBoer’s first season, but it starts with the fans being all in on him.
He will lead the Tide in Saturday’s matchup against Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium.
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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.
