Alabama Head Coach Kalen DeBoer Says Offense “Has to Find Confidence Again”

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer joined Alabama play-by-play broadcaster Chris Stewart and former national champions AJ McCarron and Trent Richardson on The Dynasty podcast, where he discussed Alabama's offensive struggles over the last month of the season, which culminated in a 209-yard performance and one turnover, stamped by Alabama's staggering -3 rushing yards against the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship.

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Quarterback Ty Simpson has struggled in November, with 872 yards and five touchdowns to three interceptions. Former national champion quarterback AJ McCarron compared it to a point guard in basketball, where players need to see the ball go through the hoop when shooters are in a slump.

How do DeBoer and the Crimson Tide's coaching staff plan to help Simpson get back in his rhythm from earlier in the season as Alabama prepares for the 12-team playoff field?

“If we want to keep it with the basketball analogy, I think we need to have other people help get him open sometimes, to get a good look,” DeBoer told The Dynasty. “And that might be schematics and things like that from what the coaches can do. And some of it might be just us, everyone doing a better job.

“I don’t care if it’s a little bit, split-second longer protection. Let’s make a catch that maybe wasn’t just a gimme for him, some of those types of things. And so, everyone, I think, is always a part of the execution and what it looks like. And when it’s clicking, it’s a beautiful thing because guys are making plays for you sometimes, too, and that’s what we just got to do.”

Simpson has completed 64.3% of his passes for 3,268 yards and 26 touchdowns with five interceptions through 13 games in 2025. October was his best month as a passer, with 1,046 yards and nine touchdowns to just one interception during Alabama's four-game stretch of Vanderbilt, Missouri, Tennessee, and South Carolina. Against Georgia in the SEC Championship, Simpson posted his worst completion percentage of the season at 48.7%, with 212 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

He wasn't the only one who struggled against Georgia, with Alabama's offense totaling -3 rushing yards on the night, and the offense going just 4-17 on third and fourth downs. No Alabama receiver had more than 62 receiving yards against Georgia last weekend.

Despite the poor performance in the 28-7 loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship, Alabama was locked in to the College Football Playoff as the nine seed, traveling to Norman, Oklahoma, on Friday, December 19, for the first round of the College Football Playoff. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. CT.

Our coverage of the first round of the College Football Playoff between Alabama and Oklahoma is brought to you by Pearl River Resort and the Sportsbook at Golden Moon Casino.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.