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The Tuscaloosa News
The one Georgia play that represents 'the toughness' Alabama football is building
- Story byThe Tuscaloosa News
- The one Georgia play that represents 'the toughness' Alabama football is building
ATHENS, Ga. — Kalen DeBoer sees "a toughness that's being built" in Alabama football . The Crimson Tide coach then backed off a bit. Alabama is not there yet. It's not quite tough. But the signs are there.
"Toughness" was on full display when the Crimson Tide needed it most during its 24-21 win against No. 3 Georgia, especially at the start of the fourth quarter when Alabama 's defense had its back against the wall.
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Alabama had not been able to stop the Georgia run game all day. The Bulldogs combined for 227 rushing yards and two touchdowns, with backs averaging 6.9 yards per touch.
At the end of the third quarter, as Alabama did everything in its power to hold tightly onto a dwindling lead, Georgia was moving. Quarterback Gunner Stockton gave the Bulldogs a first down on a 21-yard scamper. Chauncey Bowens used two runs to bring Georgia into the red zone, while Josh McCray brought the Bulldogs inside the Alabama 10-yard line.
But the Alabama defense started to stop the Georgia run game. McCray was halted for no gain on a tackle by Domani Jackson . Stockton was limited to a 2-yard gain against Deontae Lawson .
Facing a 4th-and-1 on the Alabama 8-yard line, with three points separating Georgia and the Crimson Tide , Stockton, sitting in the shotgun, handed the ball off to Cash Jones whose only task was to get a single yard.
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Instead LT Overton exploded from the left side of the defensive line. Lawson exploded from the right. And both pushed Jones down for a 3-yard loss.
It didn't matter to DeBoer that Alabama had struggled to stop the Georgia run. What mattered was the Crimson Tide stopped the Bulldogs run exactly when they needed to.
"We didn't just sit back on our heels and just hope that they didn't execute," DeBoer said. "We went out there and attacked it and made a play."
The picture is much bigger, though. It was a chance for DeBoer to speak philosophically.
Every play is its own play, DeBoer said. Leading a team that got punched in the mouth Week 1 against Florida State , every game is its own game. Nothing carries over.
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The job remains. Be fundamental. Play with energy and make things happen.
That's the "toughness that's being built." And DeBoer sees progress.
"We still have a long ways to go," DeBoer said. "And they know that."
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: One Georgia play represents the 'toughness' Alabama football is building
