Kalen DeBoer pushes back on negative perception of pass-heavy offensive scheme
By Ethan Stone
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Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer has fielded constant criticism for Alabama’s inability to threaten defenses in the ground game. The Crimson Tide finished last season 125th in the country in total rushing yards per game at 104.13 yards. Similarly, the Tide finished 126th in yards per carry at 3.35 yards.
That’s not good enough, and DeBoer knows it. However, he doesn’t agree with the sentiment that Alabama isn’t capable of being a physical football team, or that his offensive system is one dimensional to a fault.
“I think people equate passing game with not (being a) physical team. I don’t agree with that,” DeBoer said to Tide 100.9 radio, via 247Sports. “I think falling ahead for yards, and when you got the ball, you’re not running out of bounds and things like that. Those yards all matter.”
DeBoer talked with Tide 100.9 radio Thursday morning and insisted that the Crimson Tide are working towards changing the perception surrounding his offenses at Alabama. To demonstrate this, he recalled his days as a NAIA head coach at Sioux Falls in 2002.
“We had recipes for success. Get on top of people, let the defense pin the years back and get after you when you get a nice lead,” DeBoer said. “Start fast. There’s a lot of things that I still hang on my hat on to this day.”
One of them is you got to be physical as a football team,” DeBoer continued. “When you come into town, you go on the road, those people know – the players across from you – know it’s gonna be a long day. We’re working for that. I think it’s a combination of mindset. I think it’s a combination of execution. Everyone just understanding that really that’s the way the game has got to be played if you want to be at a high level. We’re working towards that.”
The Crimson Tide begin their season on September 5 against East Carolina. After falling to Indiana in the College Football Playoff last year, the Tide are looking to break through and ush even further in Year 3 under DeBoer.
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
