Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer talks loss to FSU, Ty Simpson's performance, the run game and more

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer met with the media following his team's season-opening 31-17 loss to Florida State.

He covered a number of subjects: what went into the loss, Ryan Williams' status, Ty Simpson's performance, the run game, defense and more.

"Had some opportunities get back in the game there," he said in his opening statement. "The name that game is that we can't be hesitant early on. We got to start faster in all ways. Yes, I know we went down and scored first drive, pieced some plays together and and found a way to put in the end zone. But just the next couple series, both sides of the ball, we got to do a better job. We got to do a better job.

"And we had opportunities there in the second half, but we gave them life. We gave them life. We gave them hope and confidence in the first half there. And then what it does is it puts you in a spot where you got to be perfect. You're playing from behind, and you got to be perfect. And the stress on the guys to make every play becomes greater and greater.

"I choose to believe we got a good football team. But, you know, we can't play on our heels, like we're not going to be what we think we can be, what we want to be, if that's the case. And that falls on everyone. I don't just put the point the finger at the players.

"Both sides of ball, you kind of know what you're going to see going into the game, but with new coordinators, but we we talked in the locker room, there's no excuses about what happened. We step on the football field. They step on the football field, and we got to play ball. We got to play our our style of ball. Last year isn't this year, and it's going to be an uphill climb for us, but you can't think of it the big scope of things. You got to focus on the moment. And the next moment is, is what happens tomorrow? And we'll find out. We'll find out.

"We've talked all along about chemistry on this team and talked about how how close we are and how hard we've worked doing a lot of the right things. We'll find out. We'll find out if that sticks."

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