As Kalen DeBoer walked toward the Bryant-Denny Stadium tunnel following Alabama football 's 63-0 trouncing of Western Kentucky Saturday, he broke into a wide grin as he traversed the Crimson Tide logo at midfield. The smile and where his feet were in the moment were coincidental − he'd turned to grin at a comment made by someone behind him − but he might as well have put the two together.
The honeymoon will go on.
Nearly eight months after replacing the most successful coach the sport has ever known, and unveiling his first Alabama team on the newly named Saban Field, no less, forgive DeBoer if he'll gladly take all the honeymoon he can get.
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On a night when DeBoer's vaunted offensive system churned out 600 yards, and a rebuilt defense yielded only 145, the hiccups were few − and mostly out of DeBoer's control. For one, left tackle Kadyn Proctor sustained a left shoulder injury during pre-game warmups and didn't play a down. Elijah Pritchett , who was supposed to split playing time at right tackle with Wilkin Formby, instead manned Proctor's left tackle spot for the duration. That will become more than a hiccup if Proctor misses significant time − DeBoer said his playing status will be re-evaluated in the coming days − but against the Hilltoppers, it didn't matter.
Other than that, DeBoer couldn't have scripted a better, or easier, debut.
Quarterback Jalen Milroe threw for 200 yards and three touchdowns on just nine passes before exiting. Heralded freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams hauled in 139 of those yards on just two receptions, both touchdowns. Running back Justice Haynes notched a 102-yard day on just four carries. Western Kentucky's defense offered less resistance than a bow at a ribbon cutting, which, in the end, was exactly what DeBoer's debut represented.
Meanwhile, WKU's offense found far tougher sledding.
It was the first time in 101 years that an Alabama coach's debut game resulted in a shutout win. Even Nick Saban allowed six points to Western Carolina in his first game in 2007. You'd have to go back to Wallace Wade's debut, a 12-0 blanking of Union University in 1923, from an era when shutouts were infinitely more common than they are today.
Indeed, DeBoer had plenty to smile about.
Between now and December, he'll have enough challenges that aren't so fun. Against Georgia. Against Tennessee in Knoxville. From Alabama's second-ever trip to Norman, Oklahoma, to face the Sooners , to the all-important Iron Bowl against Auburn, the 2024 Crimson Tide has plenty of obstacles ahead. But if anyone's deserving of a respite before all that schedule smoke, it's the guy who had to follow Nick Saban.
Next Saturday, DeBoer's team takes on South Florida .
And with Saban Field set to be formally dedicated before kickoff, it'd be a good week to extend the honeymoon again.
Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread is also the weekly co-host of Crimson Cover TV on WVUA-23. Reach him at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on X.com @chasegoodbread.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football's Kalen DeBoer gets much-deserved honeymoon extension
