Alabama has continued to make progress through the first month of the 2026 season, but Kalen DeBoer knows the Crimson Tide still has work to do.
Following Alabama’s 49-18 win over South Carolina, DeBoer spoke to reporters on Monday and pointed to one area in particular that could determine how much the team continues to develop moving forward.
Kalen DeBoer Identifies Alabama’s Next Step
For DeBoer, the next phase of Alabama’s development starts with building more depth.
The Crimson Tide has dealt with injuries early in the season, while also relying on several young players to take on significant roles. DeBoer believes continuing to develop that depth will be important as the season progresses.
“We’ve got to continue to build some depth,” DeBoer said.
DeBoer also emphasized that Alabama cannot simply focus on the problems it faced in the previous game. Each opponent will present a different challenge, meaning the Crimson Tide must continue adjusting from week to week.
“A lot of it is because of youth that’s on the field, or guys just working together,” DeBoer said.
That could become increasingly important as Alabama moves deeper into SEC play.
The Crimson Tide will face different offensive and defensive schemes throughout the season, forcing the coaching staff and players to continually identify and address new issues.
“What we see this week is gonna be different than what we see next week and down the road,” DeBoer said.
Ultimately, DeBoer believes Alabama’s continued improvement will come down to the team maintaining its internal focus and addressing whatever challenges each week presents.
“I think it always comes back to us, is what we preach internally and what we’ll continue to focus on,” DeBoer said.
Alabama is now tasked with taking that approach into its next matchup against Mississippi State as the Crimson Tide looks to continue its development.
Kalen DeBoer Reveals What Alabama Must Improve Before the Season Gets Tougher