Credit the Alabama players who were made available to the media after Friday's practice for their ability to deflect and the clearly rehearsed responses. Alabama players say they are only focused on what is going on inside the building - external factors don't matter.
But the fact that they are even having to be asked - one week before the College Football Playoff - about the rumors connecting their head coach and the open Michigan job is a problem. And it's one that Greg Byrne and Kalen DeBoer must do whatever it takes to squash.
Alabama players have done a great job all year of blocking out the external noise. God knows there was a lot of that noise after the season-opening loss to Florida State. They navigated that expertly, and it appears they are on the track of doing so again right now. But they shouldn't have to.
DeBoer should be publicly shutting these incessant rumors down, much like he did the Penn State rumors last week. Or, in the very least, he should be shutting it down behind closed doors in meetings with the team. But it certainly doesn't sound like he has.
"He hasn't really said much," Ryan Williams said about DeBoer's message regarding the rumors. "That's kind of like our motto. Just focus on what’s going on internal because we’ve got to play for each other, and all we’re worried about is the people internal.”
"I try to stay off social media, but it's everywhere," Wilkin Formby said.
Alabama doesn't need any distractions with Oklahoma looming
One week from today, Alabama will be facing Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff in Norman. It's going to take the full attention of everyone in the building to have an opportunity to win the game and advance to the Rose Bowl quarterfinal against Indiana.
Alabama players can say all they want that external factors don't matter, but they do. As Formby said, "it's everywhere." They can't ignore the rumors. It's just not possible.
It still feels unlikely that DeBoer is going anywhere. But the more time passes without a statement, or if he deflects instead of shutting the rumors down in the strongest possible terms like he did last week when asked about Penn State, the noise will just grow louder.
Whether a statement is coming is unknown. What is known is that DeBoer will meet with the media for the first time since the rumors began on Monday. He'll undoubtedly be asked about the Michigan rumors.
How he responds will be fascinating to watch. And it'll give us a good idea of which Alabama team to expect next Friday in Norman.