Kalen DeBoer discusses viral Tim Keenan speech that has Alabama fans fired up

It was a tough week in Tuscaloosa following the deflating and disappointing season-opening loss to Florida State in Tallahassee. Not only was the loss difficult to stomach, but Alabama coaches and players had to endure more heat and criticism than has been endured by the football program since before Nick Saban was the head coach.

It wasn't the team's talent that was in question. It was its heart. Its mental fortitude. Its passion for wearing that A on their chest. The team's ability to rally behind head coach Kalen DeBoer was also fairly in question.

After an offseason of posturing and big talk about buy-in, Alabama looked anything but bought in against Florida State.

One player who even the angriest of Alabama fans can't question is fifth-year senior and captain Tim Keenan. It's obvious what playing for Alabama means to him, and his inability to make the trip to Tallahassee due to injury was not only a big blow to the performance of the defense but a big blow in terms of leadership.

Keenan was on the sideline for Alabama's 73-0 blowout win over UL Monroe in Week 2. He wasn't going to miss an opportunity to bring the energy. Cameras caught a viral pre-game moment with Keenan walking over to DeBoer and giving him an earful. It was a moment where Keenan wanted to bring some fire to his head coach, and a moment where Keenan got to reassure DeBoer and the rest of the country that he has his back. And if Keenan has his back, then so does the locker room.

Kalen DeBoer says he feels supported by Tim Keenan

During his media availability on Monday, a reporter asked DeBoer about that pregame moment between him and Keenan.

“TK, I can say this: he really missed not being at the game in Week 1," DeBoer said. "He’s a high-energy guy, and I know that I really challenged him and told him we needed that for our team. It wouldn’t surprise me that we had that exchange. Him bringing that energy not just to our players, but our coaching staff, including me. I really appreciate it. He’s a captain. He’s poured into this program a lot. I do remember now. It was on the sideline there, him standing right there right before kickoff. That’s just TK. He loves this team, and he’s been nothing but the high-end support and giving everything you got. I feel very supported by him for sure, to answer your question.”

Keenan's pregame fire was the first sign that the energy and passion were going to be much different than the previous week. Even against a lesser opponent, it was nice to see Alabama play like Alabama again. Guys flew to the ball, hyped each other up. The sideline was alive all game long.

It will be interesting to see if that sustains the next time Alabama faces adversity. It faced none against UL Monroe. It folded in the face of it against Florida State in Week 1. Wisconsin may or may not provide adversity in Week 3, but Georgia at the end of the month in Athens certainly will.