Oct 5, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Jam Miller (26) runs the ball against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the first half at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Alabama football’s head coach Kalen DeBoer was asked what the most disappointing thing was to him about Alabama’s first fall scrimmage, and he reflected on how the Tide’s run defense looked early in the scrimmage.

“I mentioned Jam [Miller] getting some good run in the first couple plays of the game, so obviously that meant there were some seams,” DeBoer said. “The first drive in particular, there was some seams. So, we got to be ready to play gap integrity defensively. But I didn’t feel like over the course of the scrimmage, the defense had an issue with the run, so just being ready to go with the first couple of plays, the offense got down the field pretty quickly. Defense did a nice job of anchoring down and keeping them out of the end zone. Some good give and take. When I say that, it’s kind of the first drive only.”

Alabama’s run defense improving from last season to this season will be critical to the team’s success. The Crimson Tide let up over 200 yards of rushing in every regular-season loss last season.

DeBoer highlighted that the defense got better as the scrimmage went on and started making some important stops, but DeBoer said he wishes the offense would have produced more explosive plays after getting off to a hot start.

“So then on the alternative, which you’d like to see is the offense continue to execute,” DeBoer said. “The run game, it wasn’t like they were bad, but there’s explosives that you want to try to see. Certainly, the defense did a nice job clamping down.”

Although DeBoer gave insight into where the Tide can improve as a whole. He said that there is nothing that says Alabama is ‘in trouble’ and said no one side dominated the other.

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