When Alabama football takes the field for its Aug. 31 season-opener against Western Kentucky, it’ll be a different-looking team. Kalen DeBoer will inhabit the sideline Nick Saban paced for so long, while his new offense will be on the Bryant-Denny Stadium field.
One thing fans might see more of come the 2024 season is short passing. DeBoer’s offensive attack utilizes short throws and screens to great effect, significantly more than last year’s Alabama team.
During a Wednesday appearance on Tide 100.9 in Tuscaloosa, DeBoer said his offense throws the ball more across the board, not just in the short game. He said a major point he stresses to his quarterbacks is efficiency.
“The thing you’ll hear me talk to the quarterbacks about, just constantly reminding them of is must completions, completions, completions,” DeBoer said. “And just letting all these other guys work for you. A checkdown to the running back at some point, that’s OK.”
According to DeBoer, that lets his coaches call aggressive plays without quarterbacks forcing the ball into bad situations. As the drive moves, it delivers more manageable second and third down distances, letting the playcallers be less predictable.
That’s not to say Alabama is going to be ultra-conservative offensively though.
“A lot of the routes have the opportunity to take an alert throw or some kind of shot down the field,” DeBoer said. “We just try to preach to our quarterbacks though, find a way to get a completion.”
Alabama is currently in the midst of DeBoer’s first spring practice in Tuscaloosa. That will wrap with the annual A-Day game on April 13.
