"They showed great resiliency": Kalen DeBoer gets Nick Saban's seal of approval after big win against Georgia

NCAA Football: UL Monroe at Alabama - Source: Imagn
NCAA Football: UL Monroe at Alabama - Source: Imagn

After a brief period of criticisms and firing demands from fans, head coach Kalen DeBoer appears to have found his feet in a highly competitive SEC. The Alabama Crimson Tide secured a massive win over Kirby Smart's Georgia in Week 5 and has flipped the existing narratives. DeBoer, who is known for making late comebacks and big wins, showcased his prowess once again.

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Bama managed to secure an early 14-0 lead in the first half and sustained the momentum throughout the game despite Kirby Smart & Co.'s desperate moves to take the lead.

The offense and defense both worked in sync and eventually won the game. Reacting to the whole performance, former coach Nick Saban expressed his admiration for DeBoer and his style of coaching.

While speaking to the reporters this week, Saban mentioned that Bama players were resilient throughout the game. All the gameplay and strategies were on point, with QB Ty Simpson executing them perfectly on the field.

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“They showed great resiliency in this game at Georgia, to stay focused, overcome adversity, play for 60 minutes the first game, they looked great early and then kind of unraveled,” Saban said on Monday.
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The former head coach also shared his analysis on defense and how Alabama managed to not give away the game in the early second quarter.

“I think that comes from maturity. I think the staff there has done a really good job of that, and I think Ryan Grubb has done a really, really good job. I think the game plan that they had against Georgia, the execution, 13 for 19 on third down, starting out the game, eight for eight on third down against the multiple defense.
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"That's a really good defense. It does a lot of stuff. It takes a lot of planning and preparation. Obviously Ty Simpson did a good job. But, this is what I see, being really good coaching,” he added.

Kalen DeBoer and Alabama has a tough schedule ahead in 2025

With this win, the team is now 3-1 and hopes to find a spot in the postseason, especially in the 12-team playoff field. However, it won't be easy.

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The coming weekend DeBoer and Co. will face their nemesis Diego Pavia and team at home, which of course gives Alabama an advantage but Vanderbilt has been exceptional in the last five games, standing undefeated.

Missouri, Tennessee, South Carolina and LSU are some of the other consecutive matchups in the following weeks. With a rivalry game against Auburn, DeBoer and his team will wrap up the 2025 season.

To find a playoff spot, it is essential that Alabama wins all the upcoming games, something that looks achievable at this point.

Alabama Crimson Tide Fan? Check out the latest Crimson Tide depth chart, schedule, and team roster updates all in one place!

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Edited by Deepesh Nair
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