Everything Alabama Head Coach Kalen DeBoer Said During Rose Bowl Press Conference

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - We are 24 hours away from kickoff between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Indiana Hoosiers at the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The hay is just about in the barn for both Alabama and Indiana in preparation for the first matchup between the two teams, as Alabama and Indiana will hold one more walkthrough-type practice on Wednesday in preparation for Thursday's game.

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Both coaches spent time talking to the media on Wednesday in a joint press conference. Here is the full transcript of the press conference for Kalen DeBoer:

Kalen DeBoer Opening Statement

"First of all, just want to congratulate Coach Cignetti and Indiana on another great season. These last two years and what they've done is so impressive. And again, just like Coach said, when you're watching film, you can see why the success is happening -- well-coached, disciplined, and obviously a lot of great players making great plays.

"Looking forward to the challenge, great opportunity. Big day of prep for us as well. Just continue to try to use the schedule that we've had in place, adapt it to the logistics and the things that go on with the Rose Bowl. But an honor to be here. I'm proud of our football team and what we've done to get to this point, and really appreciate their efforts. And we can't wait for tomorrow."

Both coaches came up from the lower ranks of coaching. What did they learn?

Kalen DeBoer:

I think, first of all, you have an appreciation for the resources and the things you have when you get to these levels of college football and these experiences.

"But I think when you're putting it together and you're so hands-on and wearing all the different hats that come along with being a small-college football coach, not even just a head coach, it really forces you to have to think outside the box, be creative, and that might be schematically, that might be how you set up your travel with limited expenses and things like that. So, there's a lot, I think, that forces you to think through.

"But, again, it goes back to I have an appreciation for every
person in our program because I know the jobs that they're
all doing, and there's more to it than just a title. They're
working behind the scenes. Now it just comes down to
managing the volume of the staff that you have and making
sure that everyone is aligned and heading in the same direction.
But I think the small-college opportunity, not near as many people watching. There's a lot of mistakes that I made at the small-college level that you learn from and that you continue to apply as you go through.

"Again, I've been fortunate to have had four head coaches, I
coached for after being a head coach myself, that allowed
me to take a little bit of bits and pieces of what they did and add it to what I thought could continue to help me as I became a head coach again."

Assessment of Alabama practice with distractions around the Rose Bowl:

"I thought it was good energy, that's what I really look for. There was a stress in communication and all that. I thought they came with the right intention. Doesn't mean it was perfectly crisp. That's why you practice and just always trying to get better.

"So we continue to refine the game plan and pay attention to the details. I had guys in this morning already asking about certain things. They're just trying to make sure they're completely on the same page with what we're trying to do. So I have an appreciation for our players and the intentions they have.

"So we've got to take the next step today. You know, we talk about the hours leading up to kickoff, and yesterday would have been about 48 hours out. And we knew how important those 48 hours, whether it's preparation on the football field or the nutrition, the sleep and all of that. So just all these guys doing the best they can to make sure that they're ready to go tomorrow."

How has Alabama's system been affected by the different schedule?

"It's certainly different because you would have traveled normally today. But you just adjust. Like Coach said, you just adjust to what it is and make the most of it."

How does it feel to be part of the Rose Bowl?

"Yeah, I think that's a lot of how our guys are looking at it. You know, this is the next round of the playoffs. And you know we were in a win-or-go-home mindset a few weeks ago. This is where this is at.

"You certainly do appreciate what the Rose Bowl game has been about over the years and watching it over, when I was a kid, high school, I can remember in college watching it as well, and just envisioning what it would be like to play in that game. And here we are.

"But for us, it is, I think, probably the playoff piece is above and beyond, and added to, I guess, the whole Rose Bowl vibe and Rose Bowl feel. So, again, we've got to play our best football. There isn't
another day."

What has DeBoer learned about the team?

"I've learned that -- it's something I've asked of our guys is that they always think about that they have more in them. And it went back to, really, the second week and just different things, quotes or whatever it was,
and just really a mindset that you've got more in you; you
can practice and bring more. I always relate that to me, too. I've got more in me.

"I think our team really took that on, whether it's the effort that they gave in practice, because nowadays you can track that. You can track it with GPSes and such. And us seeing that we've got more in us. We're stronger now, physically, than we were at any other time during the year. We practice faster as a team than we did at any time of the year.

"So you've got more in you when it comes to note-taking. You've got more in you when it comes to just the attention to detail.

"I guess what -- I learned that from our team, or they learned about who we can be and appreciate who we can be. That's what I love about the journey we've been on as a football team.

"There's been some highs and lows. We've got some games where we came up short. And just really getting back to the basics that we've got more in us. And what we control moving forward is our attitude, and that's helped us get over the hurdles, get over the humps and continue on to get to the point where we're at today."

Describing the grind for team and staff members.

"I mean, Christmas was better because we were still playing, right? And it comes on you. I did a poor job of doing my Christmas shopping for my family. I can tell you that. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

"This is what you work all year for. This is what you started in January, for us, January 13th and 14th. And that date, those dates, you know, these were the moments that we were kind of setting our sights on, and why we were doing the work.

"So now that it's here and that we're in it, we have to remember that and not get caught up in the word 'grind.' And love it, make it positive, because that's what it is.

"We have, again, a great challenge, but a great opportunity,
something that I know we better be excited for. I know we
are. And looking forward to."

What has your time been like with Coach Saban, and what have you gained from talking with him?

"I think the biggest thing is I have an appreciation for Coach Saban, and it was very easy for me to understand what his take was going to be on it or how he wanted this to continue on. Just think about it; he put all
this time into this program to make it what it is. And to me, the legacy continues when the program continues to grow and improve and be better, even when you're done.

"I think that's the way he's always been. When he's there, whenever you need him, I know he has his way with the media and how he's got to handle things, you know, with different teams and such. But I know that he's still rooting for the Crimson Tide.

"There's a lot of players on our team that he still recruited and brought in. And he cares about them and just wants them to be successful and realize their dreams, and the goals they had when they first committed to coming to Alabama.

"Just trying to carry on the legacy of not just Coach Saban but all the great coaches, all the great players that came here to make this place what it is. We play for that. We play for the program to make it better for those that come after us, too."

What do you want your team's mindset to be going up against the No. 1 team in the country?

"Coach and Indiana certainly deserve where they're ranked. There's a 0 at the end of their record right now. So no one's beat them.

"For us, I think, we've kind of had this edge about us because of the ups and downs that I referred to earlier of how the season has gone. When we have an edge to us, it seems like -- that edge can come in a lot of different ways, but our guys have done a good job having a confidence,
but also feeding off the people that maybe doubt what we're capable of.

"So in the end, it still goes back to what our day-to-day attitude is, what our effort is, what we're trying to do in our process of getting to being our best on game day. I think the guys certainly have embraced and fed into anything they see or hear. They kind of add and throw it on the text thread and things like that. You want to use it to fuel the fire.

"In the end, it's got to be internal motivation, really, that gets you to the point where you are competing day in and day out and trying to be your best."

What is the plan to deal with weather during the game?

"I think you just gotta see what it is in the moment. I know it could be heavy at times, I don't know, it could be light. You just have to adjust.

"We haven't played -- for us, we haven't played a lot in those elements this season. You try to prepare and practice with a wet ball and things like that, whether it's snapping the football, catching the football, throwing it, whatever it is. But in the end, we've just got to adapt. We talk about those things on the staff, whether it's offense or defense, it kind of affects how you go about.

"But obviously, ball security and turnovers are something that, I think, everyone would acknowledge would be critical when the factors could be rain like it looks to be. So you have just got to adapt, and we have been part of a lot of rain and games where there's bad weather. Just do our best when that time comes to kind of help our guys get through it and be successful."

Thursday, January 1, marks the turn of a new year. Will it be the year of the Tide or the year of the Hoosiers?

Alabama will face No. 1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl on Thursday, January 1, 2026, in Pasadena, California. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. CT.

Our coverage of the Rose Bowl between Alabama and Indiana is provided by Taco Casa. Under the biggest cactus in town, Taco Casa has provided quality taste and value since 1974.

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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_.