Fans and media have tried to dose Alabama full of rat poison this week heading into the matchup against Vanderbilt in Nashville. Fresh off an impressive 31-13 beatdown of LSU in Baton Rouge, the Crimson Tide moved up to No. 3 in the College Football Playoff rankings, with many calling them a near-lock to make the 12-team field.
The media has done what they can to make Alabama overlook this weekend's game in Nashville. Tide fans have done the same.
Keelon Russell's injury status became a major topic of conversation after Kalen DeBoer called him "day to day" during his Monday press conference. Alabama fans, confident in the Tide's ability to win handily against Vanderbilt on the road, have suggested that Russell sit out this weekend with Austin Mack getting the start so Russell can get two weeks off - Alabama plays FCS Chattanooga next week - before the Iron Bowl.
Russell was listed as "probable" on the Tide's first availability report, suggesting he will start this weekend against Vandy. On his "Hey Coach" radio show on Wednesday night, DeBoer chastized the fans/media a bit about how they view Alabama's opponent for this Saturday:
“I know what their record is, and I can tell by the questions, as I go through interviews throughout the course of the week, that everyone outside the building hasn’t necessarily watched Vanderbilt," DeBoer said. "They haven’t watched them. And understanding that this is a team that’s been in games. At halftime against Georgia, seven point game, and it was a battle at halftime. And Kentucky having the lead except for the last minute there, and it went from 10-7 to 14-10. And from a physicality standpoint, what the film also shows. And so, our guys understand what it looks like. They’re preparing for it.”
Kalen DeBoer knows better than to overlook Vanderbilt
The best thing that could have possibly happened to this Alabama team is that two years ago, the then-No. 1-ranked Crimson Tide traveled to Nashville and got punked by Vanderbilt. The Commodores stunned DeBoer and Bama, earning a 40-35 win a week after Alabama knocked off Georgia in Tuscaloosa.
It was a defeat that taught DeBoer a valuable lesson that has had a big impact on how he approaches the season now. There are no weeks off in the SEC. If you don't come to play, you can lose to literally any team in this league.
Alabama sleepwalked through that game against Vanderbilt, and they paid the price for it.
DeBoer is doing everything he can this week to avoid a costly deja vu.
Fans and media may not think much of Vanderbilt's chances of beating Alabama for the second time in three years, but DeBoer certainly doesn't agree with that. He's watched the film. He's looked beyond the final scores of these games and noticed that this has been a peskier Vandy team than their overall record might show.
The thought of resting players for an SEC road game has not entered his mind. So Keelon Russell will start this weekend as Alabama takes this game as seriously as it took last weekend's game at LSU.
It's the only way to approach life in this conference.
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