Alabama played its best college football game of the Kalen DeBoer era against Missouri on Saturday. However, the first-year head coach of the Crimson Tide still was not satisfied with his team’s performance and delighted the fanbase with a Nick Saban-esque altercation during the second half.
He got on one of his players despite a dominate lead late in the game.
DeBoer is not Saban. Obviously. They are two very different coaches with two very different styles.
Saban was/is an old-school guy. The greatest college football coach of all-time played “joyless murderball” without any bells or whistles. DeBoer takes a more modernized approach to both on-field play and off-field behavior. Fun and personality is encouraged where it was typically all business in the past.
A major renovation to the head coach’s office was the first tangible example of the changing of the guard in Tuscaloosa.
Saban’s office looked exactly the same during his entire tenure with Alabama. It featured dark wood paneling, leather and upholstered furniture, and classic lamps. A large oil painting hung on the wall above the couch and memorabilia was everywhere.
DeBoer flipped the entire office on its head. He spearheaded a complete overhaul. The wood is gone. A sleek, modern look is now in its place.
On-field attire was the second tangible example of the transition of power. Saban always wore a collar on the sideline. DeBoer does not.
Crimson Tide fans were furious with their new head coach’s t-shirt during a loss to Vanderbilt. DeBoer heard their cries. He did not change his clothing and refused to bend the knee to people on social media.
Kalen DeBoer and Nick Saban are different!
Alabama has two losses at this point in the season for the first time in more than a decade. Folks in Tuscaloosa are quickly growing impatient. They don’t know what to do when their team is not ranked inside the top-five— or even the top-10.
Part of their frustrations stemmed from DeBoer’s lack of fire. He didn’t get on his guys during the early season the way that Saban used to.
That changed on Saturday!
Offensive lineman Roq Montgomery got chewed out by his head coach during a timeout in the fourth quarter. It did not matter that the Crimson Tide was up 34-0 at the time. DeBoer let him have it.
DeBoer getting after it 👏🐘#RollTide pic.twitter.com/qpoetg4qu6
— SPG (@SPG9814) October 26, 2024
For ESPN to capture that heated exchange was a great relief for the fans. They are thrilled to finally see their new head coach act similarly to their old head coach. Nothing short of perfection will do!