Kalen DeBoer’s Comments After Alabama’s 24-21 Win Over Georgia
ATHENS, Ga. — Following No. 17 Alabama’s hard-fought 24-21 victory over No. 5 Georgia at Sanford Stadium on Saturday night, head coach Kalen DeBoer addressed the media and broke down his team’s performance, which earned the Crimson Tide their second straight win over Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs.
DeBoer improved to 2-0 against Georgia, with wins both at home and on the road. Quarterback Ty Simpson played a key role, throwing for 276 yards and two touchdowns — one each to Isaiah Horton and Germie Bernard — and adding another score on the ground.
Alabama came out strong, building a 14-0 lead and entering halftime ahead 24-14. The Tide didn’t score in the second half but managed to hang on, thanks to a gritty defensive performance and key stops. Georgia had multiple chances to swing the momentum but couldn’t capitalize, despite having its first true home-field advantage against Alabama in a decade. Neither team scored in the fourth quarter, but Alabama’s third-down efficiency (13-of-19) proved to be a difference-maker.
Georgia hasn’t beaten Alabama in a regular-season game since 2007. The Crimson Tide have now claimed several significant victories in Athens, including in 2008, 2015, and now in 2025.
Key Quotes from DeBoer’s Postgame Press Conference:
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On the team’s growth since the loss to Florida State:
“They’ve developed an edge. It’s about sustaining energy and passion for all 60 minutes.” -
On Alabama’s approach to fourth downs:
“You’ve got to be aggressive, but smart — not reckless.” -
On the impact of players returning after the bye week:
“Getting Jam Miller and Tim Keenan back was huge. We’ve got talented guys, and it showed.” -
On the running game:
“We’ve still got work to do there, especially when it comes to short-yardage gains.” -
On Ty Simpson’s progression:
“He’s all-in. He’s playing with emotion and energy, and you can see his growth since the Florida State game.” -
On LT Overton’s critical fourth-down stop:
“No question, that was a turning point. We attacked and made a big play.” -
On the team’s identity:
“There’s a toughness being built. We talk a lot about mettle — that inner strength.” -
On communication with Simpson during a tough road atmosphere:
“It came down to every word being heard. We knew we had to be in his ear — he’s giving it everything.” -
On the third-down pass that helped seal the win:
“We didn’t want to give them another shot. It was a conservative call, but well-executed. I’m proud of that.” -
On the screen pass to lineman Kadyn Proctor:
“That was something we installed back in fall camp. Pretty impressive to see a big guy make a play like that.” -
On playing on the road:
“You’re going to get hit — the question is how you respond. Our guys punched back, even when things weren’t perfect.” -
Opening statement:
DeBoer praised the team’s fight and focus, saying it took every second to secure the win.
“The second half turned into a fistfight — and our guys responded.”
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