Everything Kalen DeBoer Said as Alabama Enters First Bye Week

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.— Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer spoke with media members on Monday morning in Birmingham, immediately prior to a meeting of the Monday Morning Quarterback Club. A full transcript of his comments, in which he provided status updates on injured players, spoke about a key moment in the Crimson Tide's 38-14 win against Wisconsin and more, is below.

The No. 14 Crimson Tide (2-1) has a bye this weekend (its first of two this season) before traveling to Athens, Ga., to face No. 5 Georgia on Sept. 27. That game will serve as Alabama's SEC opener.

Opening Statement:

"It's good to be here and just enjoy the week away from having a game on Saturday to prepare for, and we get to share it with people here, obviously for a good cause. [The] guys are gonna have a couple days away from football, get back to work again on Wednesday, get ready for Georgia."

On Jam Miller and how he can help the run game once he returns:

"He's got some explosiveness. He's got great strength. We really count on him, and he had a great fall camp. So, hopefully it doesn't take him long to get back in the swing of things."

On Tim Keenan III and possible limitations when he returns:

"I think with any injury, there's a volume increase that has to happen and a progression. This week, we'll keep building on a few of the things he did last week and then, I don't know what that [a limit] would be yet at this point. We'll kinda see. Depends on the progress he makes. I don't anticipate that he'll be able to go out and just play a full game, maybe at the number of snaps that he would if he was completely healthy."

On how players have adapted to Ryan Grubb's scheme:

"I think there's been a lot of progress on that. They can understand the schemes because a lot of the concepts are in the same families. I think there's just a feel of, and a trust, that happens only through just doing it together. Now we've got three games, and I really felt it in this last game, as the talk and the conversations happened. Whether it's during a play, and just anticipating what the check might be, what the read might be, where the ball might end up. That's what was happening on the football field, and that's a tribute to our guys being at the right spot and understanding, really, what we're trying to get out of each call that we make. So, that just comes through more experience together, talking through the situations we've been in. Three games in now, I can really see that happening."

On the touchdown play to start the second half against Wisconsin:

"We've run that play a couple times every year, and that was about as good as it's been run, ever. So, from the landmarks that certain guys need to get to, so that's detail-oriented, to being together, being in unison, the timing being exactly what it needs to be, the trust that you have, all the ball-handling from the handoffs to the flips, to the second flip and then another throw. And then the linemen being disciplined on not grabbing, because they're out in space. I was really, really proud of the way we executed that. With just one play, but it is a step in the right direction when it comes to just the overall discipline, the overall trust that I think is continuing to happen on our team."

On how he deals with attention the program receives:

"I'm just really proud of our guys and the way they've handled any outside noise. Really, they've understood that it doesn't mean anything, it really matters what we think and what we do. And they've really channeled their focus, channeled their energy, in the right things. That's our preparation, it's probably added a little fuel to a fire in some cases for individuals, but I think as a team, our team as a whole, they've really been forced to stick together, I think, on another level. I hope that the edge that it's created the last couple weeks stays. It needs to. I'm gonna keep reminding them of that, and just, it's led to a lot of positive things in our football team. You hate to go through it, but right now, the adversity, we're better off because of it."

On whether going through that adversity changed his approach to the team:

"There's certainly some things that you're made aware of that hit you a certain way. Especially when it comes to my team. My guys. The guys that are super disciplined in the things that they do off the field, and it will take, continues to take time. But you can see the progress being made on the want-to and the desire, and it translating to production on the football field. So, there's an edge that our guys have, and it's been great seeing them really feel, have the fire fueled, on another level."

On LT Overton's status for the Georgia game:

"I would expect him to play."