You know the old saying. Fool me once? Shame on you. Fool me five times? Well, yeah, that's probably my fault. But after listening to Kalen DeBoer on "Hey Coach" on Wednesday night, I am ready to be fooled again. No doubt about it.
But something felt....different about DeBoer's response to Alabama's latest disappointing performance on his watch. He seems to be grasping better how unacceptable what happened in Tallahassee was. It wasn't the loss; it was how poorly Alabama played.
Contrary to what some might believe, Alabama fans can accept losing. Some losing. But what they can't accept - and what they shouldn't - is a team that looks unprepared and soft. That's how the Crimson Tide looked against Florida State. That's how they looked last year in losses to Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, Michigan, and, to a lesser degree, Tennessee, too.
Plenty have questioned Alabama's path forward following DeBoer's fifth defeat in 14 games as the Tide's head coach. And that question is fair, albeit a bit premature.
For over a year since he made his debut on the sideline, Alabama fans have wanted to see fire from their head coach. He doesn't have to blow a gasket and slam a headset like his predecessor, but some anger, some passion, is needed.
DeBoer gave the people what they wanted on Wednesday night:
Kalen DeBoer on Hey Coach: "We're all pissed off about what happened on Saturday. We are. I mean, just flat-out. That's what it is."
— Charlie Potter (@Charlie_Potter) September 3, 2025
Can Kalen DeBoer's fire translate to the field?
Teams tend to take on the personality of their head coach. DeBoer looks timid on the sideline, and his team tends to play timidly.
It's good to know that the performance on Saturday pissed DeBoer and the team off. But the time for talking is done. This isn't the first time the team or coaches have said the right things in the aftermath of a disastrous performance.
The key will be whether they can walk like they talk. This weekend against UL Monroe might not bring an opponent that can seriously challenge the Crimson Tide, but it is an opportunity for Alabama to get better. It's an opportunity for the team to show some pride. To show that wearing that script "A" means something to them.
Because the team that took the field at Doak Campbell Stadium last weekend didn't look like they cared. And that's the part of the performance that was the most unacceptable.
Alabama won't be able to erase the memory of last weekend in one game, particularly against a G5 opponent. But they can play to a standard. They can get better. They can play with pride.