Alabama athletes ‘not fleeing from change,’ ready for the…

Alabama athletes ‘not fleeing from change,’ ready for the DeBoer reign.

With transfer news pouring about Alabama’s football program since Nick Saban’s retirement, many important players who’ve elected to stay told ESPN on Wednesday that there is no panic within the football complex, but just optimism for what comes next under new coach Kalen DeBoer.

“We’ve had some guys leave and wish them well, but that doesn’t change the standard at Alabama or our belief that Coach DeBoer is going to lead us where we want to be, winning championships,” said starting inside linebacker Deontae Lawson, who passed up the NFL draft to return for his redshirt junior season. “We know what we can do and that he has won everywhere he has gone. We are going to keep this thing continuing. It’s going to be a fantastic tale, and we’re prepared to embrace it.”

DeBoer was appointed last week to succeed Saban, who won six national titles during his illustrious 17-year tenure at Alabama. The Crimson Tide have had 25 players enter the transfer portal this offseason, including safety Caleb Downs and offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor on Wednesday. This season, both players won Freshman All-America accolades. Receiver Isaiah Bond moved to Texas on Sunday.

Tyler Booker, a junior offensive lineman at Alabama, understands the realities of college football in the transfer portal/NIL age, where players come and go, particularly after a coach like Saban retires.

“I want to wish them well wherever they go, but just because Coach Saban is gone doesn’t mean the standard has vanished. “He taught us that standard,” Booker stated. “It essentially boils down to, ‘Why did you come to the school?’ I came to Alabama to play for Coach Saban and to meet his expectations, to be challenged every day and held accountable by my teammates, the people in this building, and the fans.

“No amount of money could buy me away from Alabama and my legacy here.”

Quarterback Jalen Milroe, who finished sixth in the 2023 Heisman Trophy vote, is excited to play in DeBoer’s offense.Michael Penix Jr. thrived under DeBoer and current Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb in Washington. After transferring from Indiana, Penix has accumulated 9,544 passing yards and 67 touchdowns in the past two seasons.

“Coach DeBoer stands out as one of the most successful and accomplished offensive-minded college football coaches,” he added. “His coaching style and approach bring good energy to the team.”

Malachi Moore, Alabama’s versatile defensive back and permanent team captain, emphasized the importance of enthusiasm during DeBoer’s meeting with team leaders following the initial team meeting on Friday.

“You could feel that energy, the positive energy, and also how open he was to listening to our opinions, the players’ opinions,” said Moore, a fifth-year senior. “We did our homework as players. The dude has won everything. His standard is the same as ours: to lift the trophy at the end of the year. He was one win away last year, and that has left him with a chip on his shoulder. We definitely have one on ours, given how the season finished.

“We’re working toward the same goal, and this time with his vision.”

One of the “nonnegotiable” things DeBoer told the players was that Alabama’s team will be like a family.

“We’re going to win together,” Booker declared. “The closer we are, the better we are.”

Lawson, who finished second on the team with 67 total tackles last season, said that while it may “seem a little rough right now” with some of the players departing, the shift has only reinforced the camaraderie between those who have stayed.

“We’ve embraced the change, and as a group, want to finish what we started,” Lawson went on to say. “We’re not running from change. We’re investing and are confident that we’ll be well looked after. We fully trust Coach DeBoer and the coaches he’s bringing in.”

Booker is originally from New Haven, Connecticut, and attended IMG Academy in Florida. He was ranked No. 10 in the ESPN 300 recruiting rankings for 2022. He was aware of the scrutiny he would face when he joined with Alabama, and he is even more so today, especially since the 2024 team will be the first of the post-Saban era.

“Everybody will be watching. We all know we’ll be on the first team after Coach Saban, but this is an opportunity to solidify our legacy by winning a championship under Coach DeBoer,” Booker said. “Yes, we’ve lost a few men, including some extremely outstanding players, but we still have a solid youthful core. And you’ve seen what Coach DeBoer has accomplished with his clubs elsewhere. He gets the best out of his players and understands the type of players required to win titles.

One of the things that struck a chord with the Alabama players was that DeBoer, despite developing a Pac-12 championship team at Washington and the Huskies’ move to the Big Ten next season, was not scared to take on a challenge as daunting as following a great like Saban.

“He’s passionate about it. That’s why he’s here: to win championships, and we still have elite players on our roster to do it,” Lawson explained. “I’m sure he will get even more elite players as we go forward, because they’re going to want to play for him.”

Booker remarked that following in Saban’s footsteps is not for everyone. Saban not only led Alabama to six national titles, but the Crimson Tide had won 11 or more games in 15 of the previous 16 seasons. They’ve won two of the last three SEC titles, defeating No. 1 Georgia, and have been in the College Football Playoff for all but two years.

“With our fans, and I love our fans, but they’re really tough,” Booker went on to say. “Following the greatest coach of all time is a risky move, and it would be for anybody they hired. But Coach DeBoer is hardwired for it. I’m excited to get out there with him and see what we can accomplish. People wrote us off after the Texas game and the South Florida game this year, but we made it all the way to the playoffs. People will count us out again since we lost Coach Saban and a few others to Portal.

“We know what they think of us, so let’s go out there and prove ’em wrong again.”

Moore stated, “The night we met, I told Coach DeBoer that it takes a man to come in here behind Coach Saban and take on this job.” And then you sit there and listen to his vision for this program, which reveals a lot about who he is.”