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By Cameron Kiszla
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After nearly two decades under head coach Nick Saban, the Alabama Crimson Tide seems to be finally falling back to earth.
Ahead of the 2026 season, the Tide is ranked outside the top 10 for the first time since 2008 in the Associated Press poll.
This year, Alabama came in at No. 14, a notion reinforced by media members at SEC Media Days predicting Alabama to finish sixth in the conference.
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After the first preseason practice on Wednesday, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer made clear that the team is hearing this and taking it as disrespect.
'We Are Definitely Aware'
DeBoer was asked by reporters if he noticed that the team "felt a sense of motivation to prove people wrong" in light of those media predictions.
DeBoer had a simple response.
"Yeah, we are definitely aware," he said with a head nod and apparent smirk.
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It's a notable departure from DeBoer's normally friendly and positive demeanor — and it wasn't the only out-of-the-ordinary comment he made.
As reported by Charlie Potter of BamaOnLine, DeBoer used a (very mild) curse word, a practice he typically avoids entirely.
“We’re identifying leaders beyond the guys that we expect to be able to stand up when needed and take charge," he said. "But as a whole team, that’s what it’s got to be. And right now, it’s kind of an offense versus defense thing. So, you’re trying to, at the same time, build belief and confidence in each other while you’re really trying to ask them, one side of the ball to just kick the other side’s [expletive] all day.”
DeBoer also noted that his squad has been working hard in the offseason to prepare for the "big time moments" that are sure to come with the grind of an SEC schedule.
“We’ve talked about working in silence since January," he said. "These guys just doing their thing, not getting caught up in anything they can’t control. We know what our goals are. We know what our expectations are. We’ve never shied away from that. We attack the day. The challenge for us right now is to continue to just become one, and that’s been our theme here going into camp is just uniting. It’s 11 guys on offense, 11 guys on defense, special teams. But also as a whole program, having each other’s back. That’s the challenge we’ve got to continue with so many guys in the program.
“I’ve been pleased with it, but we’ve got to be great because there’s some big time moments that are gonna be coming our way. With the schedule you have, you know that’s going to happen in college football, so we’ve got to be ready, be prepared, know how we’re going to respond.”
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