Alabama Football’s Kalen DeBoer and the coordinators discuss Georgia’s comeback, Vanderbilt and more

After a thrilling win over Georgia on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium, Alabama football goes on the road this week. The Crimson Tide travels to Vanderbilt on Saturday for head coach Kalen DeBoer’s first SEC road game.

The Commodores are coming off a bye week after a heartbreaking overtime loss to Missouri in Columbia. Clark Lea’s group is 2-2 this season, already exceeding VU’s typically low expectations, but has lost its last two games, against both the Tigers and Georgia State.

Saturday’s game is Alabama’s first afternoon slot of the season. The game is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. CT in Nashville and will be broadcast on the SEC Network.

Before the game, DeBoer and UA coordinators Nick Sheridan and Kane Wommack spoke to reporters Monday in Tuscaloosa. Here are the highlights of the press conference.

– Sheridan opens the press conference. The first question concerns tight end CJ Dippre. Sheridan says Dippre’s size and the difficulty of tackling him make him unique.

– The question is about Jalen Milroe throwing to players openly. Sheridan says this has been a key focus in training after the first two weeks of the season and Milroe has made great progress in this area.

– Sheridan is asked about Elijah Pritchett’s play at right tackle. He says the pass protection was solid for the most part, but says the offensive line could have done a better job at blocking runs. Is proud of the unit’s growth, but says there are still areas for improvement.

– Asked about the use of trick plays in the Georgia game. Says Alabama tries to put players in the best possible position to be successful and he believes these plays have a chance after being executed well in practice.

– Sheridan answers questions about Ryan Williams. Says freshman WR is a confident player. Praise the work ethic, said Williams, who played well against Georgia.

– The question is whether running backs will have trouble getting into a rhythm when Milroe runs so much. According to Sheridan, the issues were more related to communication and offensive line fundamentals, with Alabama trying to get as many players involved as possible. Says Tide did a good job staying in lockdown.

– Asked if he could repeat a script later in the game. Sheridan says the team needs to maintain balance by keeping the opponent off balance and going back to what worked. Note that sometimes a play doesn’t work early in the game due to execution or communication issues and the Tide may resort to it later in the game.

– Asked about the next step for Jalen Milroe in Alabama’s trick plays. For players and units, the more things they do well, the harder it is to defend them. Wants to find the compromise between doing things they do well and doing a number of things the defense doesn’t expect.

– Sheridan is asked about Milroe’s ability to improve in the future. The saying is that nothing carries over from week to week, all players need to continue to improve and perform throughout the season.

– Sheridan’s part ends. Wommack is next.

– Wommack begins with a review of the game against Georgia. He says he’s proud of the players’ ability to compete and find a way to finish. He says he’s proud of how young DBs handled deep shots early on. Figures out it was important to get takeout and make Carson Beck uncomfortable.

– Finds Alabama unable to get off the field on fourth down. Says Georgia was much more aggressive on first and second downs, knowing it would be all-out on fourth down. Alabama did a good job of forcing fourth downs at times, but couldn’t get off the field. He said he was disappointed with parts of the second half performance but was happy with how the group continued to fight until the end of the game.

– Praises Zabien Brown after the game-winning interception. According to the statement, the game was a great learning experience for him and some of Alabama’s other young defenders.

– Says Vanderbilt is playing well. He calls quarterback Diego Pavia “a real baller” and points out how difficult it is to defend him. Says that Commodore’s teammates have full confidence in Pavia and that the team shows great enthusiasm and intensity. Notes: Alabama needs to avoid complacency after big game against Georgia.

– Wommack says DeBoer nailed the message for the players. According to the statement, all players can draw from the adversity experience of the Georgia game.

— Asked about Domani Jackson. Says Southern Cal transfer has had “quiet consistency” in Alabama’s first four games. Says Jackson has consistent technique and improved physicality for the 2024 season.

– When asked about using more targeted pressure in the Georgia game and how Alabama might use it in the future. Wommack says the Crimson Tide will use a lot of disguises, even in the middle of the game, which worked well against Beck. Pressure forces QBs to increase the tempo in the passing game, making stealths work better. He considers Beck to be one of the best quarterbacks in the country and has been impressed with how he has fought through adversity.

– Wommack is asked what makes Alabama so good at breaking up passes. According to the Tide, the coverage plays in a “Vision style,” which helps players be more attentive. He says it came from his father, who worked for Monte Kiffin, and they introduced a more visionary defense after watching the Seattle Seahawks’ Legion of Boom group.

– Asked about Jeheim Oatis’ lack of snaps this season. Wommack notes that Oatis is still working on getting back into the swing of things after suffering an injury this offseason. Tide wants him to take steps in the right direction.

– The question is about Qua Russaw’s play after injury. Says Russaw has been working hard over the last two weeks to get back on the field. Notes how important Jeff Allen and his staff are to UA’s success. He said he used Russaw as an example of hard work for the rest of the team.

– Asked about Zabien Brown’s ability to limit easy throws. Crimson Tide performed well early in the game but struggled later. Says Brown did a good job defending the perimeter and maintaining lateral leverage. Says Alabama generally tackled well throughout the game, but two big misses led to explosive plays for Georgia.

— Wommack concludes. DeBoer is next.

– DeBoer says he is proud of the team for their performance in the Georgia game and for their performance after the bye week. Tide continues to do a good job, but still has some cleaning up to do.

– When asked how he teaches young players like Ryan Williams to handle all the attention coming his way. Says the Tide expects him to continue making plays and will continue to develop him both on and off the field.

– DeBoer is asked how important it was to get the ball away from the goal line after a kickoff error late in the game. He says it’s important to get first downs and get some space, especially given the way James Burnip can turn the field. He says he would have liked to get at least two first games.

– Asked about his approach to getting heated during the game. He says he can’t predict it. Says Saturday’s performance came at an important time, but was upset in the moment and fighting for his team. Wanted to express his feelings to the referee after he hampered Georgia with a bad pass.

– Says tight end has always been an important part of his offense. He says players need to be able to do multiple things well, and versatility makes it harder for opponents.

– DeBoer is asked about Alabama getting a safety and the importance of getting away with an offensive interception. Says Alabama did a good job taking advantage of Georgia’s back to the wall, resulting in an intentional block for Beck.

– Asked about Milroe’s TD pass to Jam Miller and how the QB performed in the intermediate passing game. He said he’s impressed with Milroe’s determination right now and how the redshirt junior has developed this season.

– Asked how difficult it is for offensive coaches to handle Wommack’s defense. He says there’s a reason he wanted Wommack as his defensive coordinator. Says the defense does a good job because it’s unique.

– DeBoer is asked about the Bryant-Denny vibe. Says it was a huge deal. Notes: Sometimes players are at the hotel and cannot see what is happening before they arrive at the stadium. Says energy and excitement is huge for players.

– Asked where he places Saturday’s game in his career. He says he always thinks optimistically because he draws from all his past experiences. He says the Georgia game was a big game, as big as any.