Kalen DeBoer showed what Alabama can still be after Nick Saban in the win against Georgia

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama — Kalen DeBoer took the job 261 days ago, but Saturday night felt like the moment he truly became Alabama’s head coach.

He won the roster during spring training. Alabama’s fan base largely bought in this summer after a furious recruiting drive. All that was left was to lead the Alabama machine on a big stage with the entire college football world watching. And he did not disappoint.

No. No. 4 Alabama’s 41-34 win over No. 2 Georgia delivered on its hype and then some. When it was over, DeBoer improved to 108-12 as a head coach, 12-2 against AP-ranked opponents and 6-0 against Steve Sarkisian, Lincoln Riley, Dan Lanning and Kirby Smart. There were questions about Alabama’s possible fallout following Nick Saban’s retirement, and it would have been easy to think the Georgia series would tilt in the Bulldogs’ favor, with the best coach in college football leading the way. Instead, it was Alabama’s ninth win over Georgia in ten meetings.

The first half felt like 2015 in Athens: total domination. The second half was more like 2017 and 2018, with comebacks and late-game heroics from the quarterback. The end result was known: Alabama on top. It was a statement game for players like quarterback Jalen Milroe and freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams, but it was an equally big spot for DeBoer, who pulled off the kind of big win Alabama was known for under Saban.

“All the hard work you put in in the dark is going to pay off at some point,” said Milroe, who totaled 491 yards and four touchdowns. “And it came out and shone today. It was a great opportunity for our football team to showcase it.”

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DeBoer also learned what it’s like to coach in the SEC. And plenty of teaching moments will come from that.

Leading 30–7, Alabama faced second-and-5 at Georgia’s 40-yard line with 53 seconds left in the first half. Until that moment everything was fine and it felt like the dam was about to break just before half time. Then Alabama got too cute. A triple reverse pass that picked off Georgia turned into an 8-yard loss. A scoring opportunity turned into a punt. You can’t leave points on the board in any situation, but especially not against a team like Georgia.

A 28-0 start turned into a 30-7 halftime lead, which became a 34-33 deficit with 2:31 to play. A game that felt insurmountable for Georgia almost became a historic collapse for Alabama. The offense that scored touchdowns on four consecutive drives to start the game punted, fumbled or turned it over on downs on seven of the next eight drives. In the second half, the offense averaged just 1.2 yards per carry and converted a third down. The defense couldn’t get a stop, especially on fourth down, to keep Georgia at bay. It was also another bad night for penalties, with 10 totaling 90 yards.

“They should never have been in a situation where they could come back,” Williams said. “We were supposed to just keep our foot on the gas pedal, but (Georgia) came back. We knew there would be adversity at some point – we just had to fight back.”

Jalen Milroe passed for 374 yards and ran for 117 yards. (Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

To DeBoer and Alabama’s credit, they did just that. One play after Georgia took the lead, DeBoer called a deep shot for Milroe and Williams, which ended up being the winning touchdown. After Georgia’s 67-yard go-ahead touchdown, DeBoer didn’t hesitate to throw a haymaker right back. That kind of confidence resonates throughout the team.

“This isn’t just this week; from day one we talked about no regrets,” DeBoer said. “Compete to the end. We talk a lot about staying positive and continuing to fight. Sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce your way: keep fighting.

“A lot of games offer opportunities where if you find a one-on-one match, you take it.”

The normally stoic DeBoer showed some competitive fire in a few exchanges with the officials on Saturday, but players pointed out his poise throughout the game and especially during the see-saw moments near the end. His calm demeanor matched that of the players, and it led to Alabama turning the game around within seconds of blowing a 28-point lead.

There’s your passion, Bama fans. pic.twitter.com/6OgFLHSHUS

— Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium (@BryantDenny_UA) September 29, 2024

“Coach DeBoer loves energy,” linebacker Jihaad Campbell said. “Coach DeBoer was balanced throughout the entire game, and I think that rubbed off on the entire team. Just understanding, ‘Hey, we’re good, next-play mentality.’

“It’s Bama, you know, we’re the standard. We don’t really think. We have balance. We trust ourselves. We trust each other to go out and do our job so that we can execute and come out with a win.

A furious comeback in Georgia shouldn’t negate the fact that DeBoer’s staff had an excellent game plan. At halftime, Smart noted that Alabama passing out from an empty backfield was “something new” that it executed well. The interception by Domani Jackson came on coverage that Alabama had not shown this season, prompting Georgia’s Carson Beck to panic and make a mistake.

Milroe looked as accurate and comfortable as ever. Alabama finished plus-3 in turnover margin and won the battle for possession. It was a signature win that also makes it clear that games aren’t over until they’re over, a message that should keep the team focused with a road game at Vanderbilt next Saturday.

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No matter how big the win was, the honeymoon phase is over, even after a win. It’s been hard to criticize DeBoer since January, and to his credit, the transition felt seamless from the start. Saturday’s game brings honest questions about how Georgia adjusted at halftime and turned it into a game — and what it means for future opponents. Also, give credit to Georgia, as a program running at an optimal level with an Alabama-like culture and coach.

Still, Alabama proved Saturday that things aren’t going anywhere under DeBoer. Saturday was the biggest test yet and DeBoer passed.

Now he must pass the next, and the next – and so on. That’s what it means to coach at Alabama.

“We have to recognize that winning in the SEC is a tough task and enjoy the victory,” Milroe said. “I think that’s something we’re losing focus on in Alabama – the standard of excellence, of course, but enjoying the win. So much has gone into this game.

“We will enjoy the victory, but it is not the end of our road. There’s so much more we can do better when we look at the band. To have SEC start like this, with a bang, super happy with the boys’ performance. We’re just going to continually get better, grow and recognize that we’re not a completed football team, and we’re never going to get complacent.”

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(Top photo of Jalen Milroe and Germie Bernard: Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)