A-Day Provides Kalen DeBoer's First Big Moment as Alabama Head Coach

For the first time, Kalen DeBoer led the Crimson Tide onto the field at Bryant-Denny Stadium in front of more than 72,000 Alabama fans.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.—  Washington averaged more fans than any other school in the Pac 12 last season, yet Kalen DeBoer's first spring game at Alabama still drew more fans than any home game he coached for the Huskies.

A reported 72,358 Crimson Tide fans poured into Bryant-Denny Stadium to get a first look at DeBoer as the Alabama head coach and what his new system would bring. For DeBoer it was one of the first times that the magnitude of his new role really sunk in.

"I think today was the day where it really felt… seeing the guys come down the Walk of Champions, just seeing that and feeling the excitement and energy of what it would be on a Saturday, that was a lot of fun," DeBoer said after A-Day. "The energy and excitement leading up to the spring game was something that kind of hit me today."

A quick search on social media will show the sparse crowd that was in attendance for DeBoer's spring game last year at Washington. But he picked up on the passion of Alabama fans for Crimson Tide football from the moment he landed in Tuscaloosa, and there were thousands of fans waiting at the airport.

Being inside Bryant-Denny Stadium with a crowd brought it to a new level. He really had to soak in the moment as the team came out of the tunnel for the first time.

"Just enjoying that moment and trying to make sure the guys did, too," DeBoer said. "You try to take it in when you emphasize to the guys, ‘Hey, enjoy this moment. You guys worked hard for this.’ For a lot of these guys, it was their first spring game as well, their first A-Day for a lot of freshmen and some transfers. I made sure they relished this day, and when you say those things, you do it yourself as well.”

Fifth-year defensive back and Alabama native Malachi Moore tried to prepare the freshmen and transfer for what A-Day would be like. He feels like fans provided the right welcome for DeBoer on Saturday.

"A-Day is something that’s gonna be rocking," Moore told his teammates. "It’s going to be a lot of fans in the stadium. It’s not going to be just like an open scrimmage, it’s going to be like real, live fans out there cheering us on. I think the crowd did a good job today bringing in Coach DeBoer.”

DeBoer changed the format of the scrimmage from years past. Instead of pre-divided "Crimson" and "White" teams, it was strictly offense versus defense with the offensive side coming away with the 34-28 victory.

From his very first press conference as the Alabama head coach, DeBoer hasn't shied away from the expectations this job brings or following in the footsteps of Nick Saban. He has welcomed Saban's advice at every step of the process and brought in the legendary former head coach to speak to the team before Saturday's scrimmage.

In a moment where he could've tried to keep the spotlight on himself, DeBoer wasn't afraid of the looming shadow Saban's legacy can cast. Instead, he did something that was uplifting and encouraging for a lot of his team.

"He just came back and told us that he loved us, and that he misses us," Moore said on Saban's message. "And that he’s always here for us, and he’s always rooting for us."

One day after appearing on ESPN at The Masters, Saban was seen on the sidelines and in a suite at Bryant-Denny, finding his new role as a fan and supporter. There will be lots of adjustments for players, coaches and fans alike as Alabama transitions into a new era after 17 seasons with Saban at the helm.

DeBoer will obviously have bigger days ahead. No matter how many fans were there or what channel A-Day was broadcasted on, it was still just a scrimmage. The transfer portal reopens next week for two weeks, but after that, the spotlight will temporarily dim in the summer.

But once the calendar flips to August, and DeBoer takes the field for the first time as the Alabama head coach in a real game, that's when the lights will begin shining the brightest. Saturday was the first glimpse of what's to come for Alabama football under DeBoer.

At first, A-Day was looking like it was going to be all offense, but the defense bounced back after falling behind 31-0. DeBoer was encouraged by what he saw from his team in the spring, but also sees today as learning opportunity as the program heads into the summer.

"We talk in terms of a '1-0 mindset'. So, win the next rep," DeBoer said. "And the [defense] did that more than the offense did in the second part of the scrimmage. I think the flip side is, there are just some easy plays that the offense needs to make, catching the ball in particular. And for whatever reason, those are some great learning moments that we will carry into this summer on both sides— why you don’t stop playing and why you gotta keep your head and keep the focus and stay locked in for the entire time you're on the football field."