There are many factors that will shape Kalen DeBoer's legacy at Alabama, and one of the most important ones will be on display on Saturday in Tuscaloosa, and that is his success in revenge games. One of the things that really separated Nick Saban from other coaches was how successful he was in revenge games, and now we get to see how well DeBoer does in that same situation.
So far DeBoer has shown how great a coach he is coming off a bye week, and a win last week in Athens may be signs that his inability to win road games may have been a short-lived problem, but this will be the next big test to pass.
Vanderbilt changed the entire persona of their football program last year when they did the unthinkable of knocking off the Tide in Nashville. That win took Diego Pavia to a star level that nobody thought was possible, and as crazy as it might sound, this Commodores team is a better team than they were last year. The number of points they are putting up week to week is unfathomable to many in the college football world, making it even more crucial that the Tide is successful in getting revenge. It should take little effort from the Alabama coaching staff to get the team ready to go against Vandy, but it will take a great effort to exit Bryant-Denny Stadium with the win.
What will Kalen DeBoer and his staff do differently, especially on the defensive side of the ball than they did last year? Not much has changed with what Clark Lea's team will look to run against the Tide, and it will come down to can this defense stop the run. We've already seen the Tide struggle to stop the run against both Florida State and Georgia, so will there be the necessary adjustments made by the defense to slow down arguably the most prolific offense they've seen all season?
If the same struggles to stop the run and get off the field on third down show up again this week, then questions need to start being asked by Coach DeBoer if he has the right defensive coordinator in Kane Wommack running the defense. As we know, a head coach can only be as successful as the assistant coaches he surrounds himself with. We need to see improvement in containing Pavia and being able to get off the field in crucial situations. Wommack's game plan and ability to adjust in-game will not only determine if Alabama is able to get revenge on Saturday but also set a foundation for DeBoer's legacy as coach of the Crimson Tide.