Alabama Is Struggling to Find An Identity, And Kalen DeBoer Doesn’t Have A Lot Of Time To Fix It

Once again, Alabama was involved in a game that had no reason to be as close as it was, but this isn't the same type of team we've seen in the past, and South Carolina caused a massive frenzy in Tuscaloosa on Saturday afternoon for Kalen Deboer and the Tide, who ultimately managed to squeak out a 27-25 win. 

There was nothing about this game against the Gamecocks that should give Alabama fans hope for the remaining games of the season. To be honest, I don't know if the shell-shock has worn off from the Vanderbilt loss last weekend. 

But this is also a Kalen DeBoer team that is struggling to find an identity, and the turnovers are certainly putting them in a terrible spot. Though let's not forget, the Bama defense has been shredded at the most inopportune times on Saturday by a South Carolina offense that was seemingly running QB draws or giving the ball to Rocket Sanders. 

If you thought the Gamecocks were going to just disappear after Alabama rushed out to a 14-0 lead, you haven't been paying attention to South Carolina this season. While they struggled at times on offense against Alabama, the Gamecocks' defense once again provided enough problems that led to a chorus of boo's coming from Crimson Tide fans as the team headed to the locker room at halftime. 

South Carolina Was Not Going Away, As Alabama Learned The Hard Way

We are in a different era of college football, and anybody can beat anybody, which should be clear after the last two weeks across the sport, and for Alabama. 

After the Gamecocks scored 12 points in the final 1:37 of the first half, there was a loud contingent of Alabama fans that were showing their displeasure for what they had just witnessed. This game was starting to look very similar to the one we saw last week against Vanderbilt. 

While fans were complaining all week about what Kalen Deboer was wearing on the sidelines of the loss in Nashville, they should've been worried about how this team is a shell of its former self. I'm certainly not trying to put all of this on Kalen DeBoer, but he's the one answering the questions postgame, and calling the shots. 

So when Jalen Milroe throws two interceptions, and looks lethargic in the second and third quarters, we know that DeBoer is going to catch a lot of heat. It's just college football logic. But what South Carolina was able to do on Saturday was prove it would now be a stepping-stone for Alabama to gain its confidence back, with a blowout win. 

Turnovers, awkward play-calling, the offensive line and Jalen Milroe making a few mistakes led to this being a 27-19 game with 1:19 remaining in the fourth quarter. 

The Gamecocks had a chance to win the football game, recovering an on-side kick, and that's what will stand out the most for Alabama fans, just one week after Shane Beamer's squad took an ugly loss to Ole Miss. 

Alabama in Some Trouble, And There Don't Seem To Be Many Answers

I don't know what to say, besides, this looks like a team with massive growing pains during times of distress. If it weren't for Jalen Milroe bailing out his team numerous times on Saturday, this was another catastrophe for the Tide. To be honest, this was a game that South Carolina should probably be celebrating, and not hanging its head on the phrase, ‘we almost did it'. 

One of the simpler truths is that South Carolina out-played Alabama on Saturday, and there wasn't a person in Tuscaloosa who would disagree with that statement. 

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Jalen Milroe of the Alabama Crimson Tide warms up prior to facing the South Carolina Gamecocks at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 12, 2024. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

This Kalen DeBoer led squad has a problem, and I don't know what they can do to fix it right now. Their defense looks discombobulated, the secondary looks out of place, and the defensive line is getting beat in the trenches. 

Surviving this game against South Carolina is one thing, but playing like that in Knoxville next week against Tennessee will lead to a loss, which will be their second in three weeks. 

I thought the Vanderbilt loss was the crossroads, but Alabama found itself in a ‘Deja-Vu’ moment on Saturday afternoon on Saban Field. 

If Kalen DeBoer doesn’t figure out what's wrong with his football team, and how to fix it, this is going to lead to further chaos. But calling Nick Saban is not an option, so Bama fans better hope Deboer figures this out. Quick.