Alabama fans will absolutely love Kalen DeBoer’s simple bye week plan

Even just two years removed from Nick Saban’s surprising retirement, Alabama isn’t hurting for talent on its roster. Therefore, unsurprisingly, much of the blame for Alabama’s Week 1 loss and five overall losses without Saban has fallen on the coaching staff. 

For the most part, it hasn’t been DeBoer’s game planning, timeout management, or the play-calling of his coordinators that has been the focus of the criticism; it’s been the attitude in four losses to unranked opponents under DeBoer. Alabama’s effort left a lot to be desired in its Week 1 loss to Florida State, so Crimson Tide fans will love to hear DeBoer’s plan for the bye week before opening SEC play against Georgia on September 27. 

Crimson Tide “won’t let off the gas” in Week 4 bye

It was a slow start to the season for Alabama, but since Week 1, the Tide have looked like one of the best teams in the country, granted the back-to-back wins have come against lesser competition. 

First-year starting quarterback Ty Simpson has gotten comfortable in Ryan Grubb’s offense, joining Mac Jones as the only Alabama quarterbacks to complete over 80 percent of their passes with three or more touchdowns in consecutive games. The Tide poured it on in Week 2, burying Louisiana Monroe 73-0, then took it to Wisconsin on Saturday, winning 38-14. 

That momentum must continue through the bye week, so DeBoer set the perfect tone in his postgame presser. Georgia, Alabama’s Week 5 opponent in Athens, will also be on a bye in Week 4, but will enter the matchup much more battle-tested after downing Tennessee 44-41 in overtime on Saturday at Neyland Stadium. 

Tennessee jumped all over Georgia early, scoring 21 first-quarter points, similar to the early lead Alabama built over the Bulldogs in Tuscaloosa last season, before ultimately withstanding the Georgia comeback. Though Simpson has looked much better in his second and third career starts, Alabama can’t afford to fall behind in Week 5. 

DeBoer had plenty of success in the Pac-12, leading Washington to the national championship game in his second season at the helm in Seattle, but it takes a different intensity to win the SEC. Maybe DeBoer has finally figured that out.