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Wasson: Kalen DeBoer was happy with the win … and that’s precisely Alabama’s problem
By David Wasson
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I remember a time, seemingly eons ago, that Alabama football meant something.
Oh, it was a magical time. Lord Saban stalked the sidelines, doling out fear and superiority in equal measures. Defenses dominated. Offenses carved up the opposition. And it was pure delight to see Joyless Murderball being exhibited without a hint of weakness.
The Death Star was the envy of college football. National championship rings were delivered on a regular basis, and there probably were a couple of NFL teams hoping that the Tide wouldn’t look their way once they were done decimating the college landscape.
Oh, those were the times.
Saturday? Alabama had to hold on – at home – 27-25 against South Carolina to avoid a 2-game losing streak.
Let’s break that sentence down, shall we? Holding on in a game was something usually reserved for a ring game of some kind. The Crimson Tide had to hold on against Clemson and Georgia a couple times to stuff the trophy case back home.
But just a week after a shocking loss to Vanderbilt, to do so against the Gamecocks? At Bryant-Denny Stadium?
Yet here we were: a 2024 Alabama football team that couldn’t get much farther from the program that was a play from competing for a 19th national title less than a year ago had to cling to the hopes of victory by their pinky fingernails.
Dodging a bullet? How about showing for the 2nd time in the past 7 days that this ain’t the Crimson Tide football team that Saban wrought on the country. New coach Kalen DeBoer didn’t coach his way into seeing Gamecocks fans breaking into Williams-Brice Stadium and tearing down their own goalposts inside an empty stadium … but wow, was it close.
“There are just so many times… We talk about finding a way to win,” DeBoer told the media afterward. “The ball wasn’t bouncing our way, but we found a way to win when your back is against the wall. This was a week where they hung together.”
If Alabama fans wondered what the heck was going on, we offer a thesis: Former Tide coach Mike Shula was back at Bryant-Denny as an assistant coach for the Gamecocks. Thus, Shula’s mere presence seemingly set his former program’s offense back two decades – and nearly sent DeBoer to the bread line practically before he could unpack in Tuscaloosa.
South Carolina contentedly was beating up the Tide on both sides of the line of scrimmage at Saban Field. The Gamecocks were chasing and otherwise harassing Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe to the point that he coughed up a safety late in the first half and sacking the Heisman hopeful 4 times.
Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers, who was on precisely no watch lists entering Saturday, was surgically dicing up the Alabama defense to the tune of 238 yards and 2 touchdowns. On the first drive of the 2nd half, South Carolina matriculated 85 yards in 16 plays for a touchdown that ate up 8:35 of clock. And when they needed to score fast, they did – going 75 yards in just 1:11 late in the 4th quarter.
Tide fans thought they could exhale on Germie Bernard 34-yard touchdown reception with 1:54 to play. That score put Alabama ahead 27-19, and all the Tide had to do was somehow play defense for just a bit to secure a win. So what happens? South Carolina went the length of the field for a quick TD, though a fortunate failed 2-point conversion attempt — under pressure, Sellers overthrew a wide open Nyck Harbor in the back corner — kept Alabama in the lead.
All the Tide had to do was recover the onside kick that the entire world saw coming. So what happened? At least 3 Tide players touched the bobbled football before the Gamecocks pounced on it and had yet another a chance to shock the Alabama’s world.
— dubs408 (@dubsvidstouse) October 12, 2024
Only Domani Jackson’s interception in the end zone with no time left allowed Alabama to somehow squeak out a victory.
But wait, you say, didn’t Saban himself go 7-6 in his rookie season in Tuscaloosa – with an embarrassing 21-14 home loss to Louisiana-Monroe? Yes, I was there. And lemme tell you, there were precisely zero 5-stars roaming the field in Alabama colors that day.
Saturday, though, was far different. Milroe still has an outside shot at the Heisman (though he will need more than the 209-yard effort delivered against South Carolina), freshman receiver Ryan Williams is a star, and the defense is littered with future NFL talent.
None of that matters, though, if they don’t play complementary football. Vanderbilt’s offense kept the Tide defense on the field for over 42 minutes last week. Milroe threw 2 picks against South Carolina, and Williams was bottled up Saturday for just 4 catches totaling 32 yards. Coming into the game, Williams had 7 catches that went for at least 40 yards.
And DeBoer? He was happy with the effort shown Saturday by his team.
People, that is the problem. DeBoer was happy with the effort.
I remember a time, seemingly eons ago, that Alabama football meant something. Now? The Crimson Tide are just another team running around looking to survive week after week.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
