Kalen DeBoer shares thoughts on Alabama’s disastrous first half vs. Indiana
By Mark Kern
Published:
Kalen DeBoer and Alabama were down 17-0 in their first round College Football Playoff matchup against Oklahoma, but were able to come back and get the win.
The team once again found itself in a similar situation on Thursday, as they trailed Indiana at the half by that same score.
As DeBoer went to the locker room, he told the Crimson Tide Sports Network that the team had to use that previous experience to try and get back in the game.
“Just fall back on the things that we’ve had to in the past,” DeBoer said. “Obviously, and unfortunately, we’ve been in this spot before. We’ve got to get in the locker room, regroup – just as far as making adjustments and things like that. Our defense has made them earn it. They’ve had a couple short fields. Obviously one of those is on me, with going for it on fourth down. We’ve just got to keep playing. It’s a four-quarter game for a reason. We’ve known that, just because of the season and what we’ve been through.”
With the Crimson Tide trailing 3-0 early in the second quarter, DeBoer decided to go for it on a 4th-and-1 from his own 34, but the Hoosiers able to stop Germie Bernard short of the down to go. Indiana was able to just four plays later on a 21-yard pass from Fernando Mendoza to Charlie Becker.
On the next possession, Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson scrambled for a first down, but fumbled the ball at the Indiana 42.
Once again, the Heisman Trophy-winning Mendoza led his team down the field, hitting Omar Cooper Jr. on a 1-yard touchdown to give the Hoosiers the 17-point halftime lead.
The Crimson Tide showed against the Sooners they can complete the comeback, but the Hoosiers are a different level of team.
