You know, I love me a Thursday. Actually, I love every single day, but especially Thursdays. Thursdays are an absolute blast around here. What's going on? Welcome to the Jungle.
Nice to have you here. My name is Jim Rome. The show is brought to you by FanDuel. The monsters at FanDuel. My best friends at FanDuel.
Appreciate that support so much. All right, speaking of Fanduel, we have a Fanduel segment coming up. It's Thursday, so let me jump right into this coming up later on today, top of hour number two. In fact, James Kelly Fanduel.
Now, much to his chagrin, he'll roll with it. We have an interview on the back end, a really good one, James Cook.
So, what's James going to say? What is James Kelly going to say about James Cook? Keep it tight, James. Keep it tight. But James Kelly's on one; he's on a heater, so I know he's going to want to get there.
So let me set it up for you. Those two things you already know: Fanduel, James Kelly, top of hour two. James Cook, who led the league in rushing last year, off to another really good start this year for the Buffalo Bills. Coming up at one twenty. What's your beef?
We do it once a week. It's on Thursdays, top of hour number three. Have I given you enough to talk about? Wait, there's more. Twelve forty, Alabama head football coach Kellen DeBoer.
So a monstrous day, Kellen DeBoer, the big head, James Cook. What's your beef? It's Alabama every week, isn't it, Herb? And Alabama's playing well, top ten right now. Also, I had a podcast which I knocked out yesterday.
Do me a favor, don't listen to it during the program, but as soon as we're off hours, whenever you can work it in, I think you'll love it. Episode number four twenty eight with Ricky Waters. Former NFL great and a national champion from Notre Dame, Rick, was one of my favorites. And you know, I always say this: you don't know these guys; you do not know these guys. I think you'll be really shocked and really surprised, pleasantly, about how he showed up.
Rick showed up great.
So we have all of that. Telephone number is one eight zero zero six three six eight six eight six. X is still a good place to hang out. Live, do what you do. Post there.
Email me at Rome Marwade me at Have a Take dot com, or get to our YouTube channel. Once you get there, can you hit sub, please? Can you ring the bell, please? And I know you are already going to find your way into the chat. Hey, chat.
Good morning, chat. Good afternoon, chat. What's cracking? All right, so where to start? Breaking news.
Yo, Dallas, how you livin'? Yes, I know I was a little harsh yesterday in my continued enjoyment of that utter catastrophe in Brazil, and that will always be one of my all-time favorite Cowboy losses ever.
However, I'll make up for it now. I'm going to make it up to you today, cowboy fan. If you can believe it, because I'm actually going to give your geezer some bleeping credit for real.
Well, at least partial credit. Partially for real. Partial credit where partial credit is due, and today partial credit is due to you, Jera, and I guess in part, Steva. Whoever was involved with the decision to go out and get some quality help for a defense that desperately needs some quality help last night, Jera and the Cowboys sent a twenty twenty seven sixth round pick and a twenty twenty eight second round pick to Pittsburgh for cornerback Joey Porter Jr. He's been holding out for a new contract.
Nursing a sore back for the first three weeks of the season so far, so clearly they were locked in a stalemate in Pittsburgh, especially since we know that Pittsburgh is not going to break precedent. They do not negotiate during the season, so there was no way he was going to get a contract in season. But he's still not played yet, so there was an opportunity to go get this guy, and credit to Jera for going out and getting the guy. By the way, surprise, surprise! It looks like Porter's back will miraculously heal, and maybe even in time for him to play very soon, as soon as this Sunday against Houston.
Ooh, that game scares me. No offense, Nick, but Dallas is weird. Houston's not right. What if Houston were to lose to Dallas to go to zero and four? Quite frankly, it's bull.
I agree, Nick. No way that happens. No way, Nick. No way y'all are losing to Dallas. Quite frankly, that is bullshit.
Also, critical for the Cowboys, Porter is willing to play for Dallas without a new contract.
Now, granted, would they have given up what they gave up, including a second-round pick, if they were not going to extend him? Hard to imagine. I mean, does he strike you as a rent-a player? Hard to imagine. But this is why, again, I've got to give Jara credit.
And when I say I have to, I really have no choice. Jera is taking a pretty big, pretty aggressive swing right here. You know, he's always talking about being all in, all in, all in, and then does nothing. All well, he did something. All in.
You can even make the argument that all in this move could be classified as. Wait for it. All in. That's all in. It's almost like watching his secondary give up the quickest game-ending scoring drive in NFL history, force Jera to actually do something.
Normally, Jera takes a seat back and says, "Everything's great, everything's hunky dory. We'll let the coaches do what they do." Even Jera saw that debacle and said, "Oh hell no, hell no." We need to do something. It's almost like watching one of the most humiliating losses in NFL history finally jarred Jara, finally made Jara realize: Damn, our defense sucks way too much for us ever to win anything that matters. Seven seconds. Stick it up our ass.
Whoa! Stick that up your ass. Why did you kick to the end zone? Why did you give the ball to Baltimore on the thirty-five? Why did you have a complete breakdown and let them hit a big chunk play to set up front fielder to walk it off?
Why? Why did either or any of those things happen? Which is exactly what I think. Even Jara, even Jara, is asking himself right about now. Which is why I can't get on him for it today.
I'm always saying. I'm always going in on this guy for saying he's all in, but never actually being all in. Saying he's all in but doing nothing is not being all in. This time, though, he actually made a pretty urgent win now move that's actually going to make an impact on this defense.
So, all I can really say is I can't kill this guy when he finally does take a big swing.
Now, I'm not saying it's going to work. I'm not saying this is going to save their season. In fact, you know what I am saying? It's a freaking band aid on a full blown hemorrhage. Of course, the Cowboys are still going to have to pay the duty eventually if they want him to stay beyond the season.
Just like they're going to have to pay the last guy they acquired from Pittsburgh, George Pickens, if they want Pick to stay behind beyond the season. And Pick has been a model citizen. It's not Pick's fault that Dak did not throw the ball to him at the pylon. And wouldn't you know? Check this out: Pick Porter ripped or repped by the same guy who reps Michael Parsons.
You know the guy that Jera tried to circumvent and cut out of the negotiations with Michael, which of course led to Michael being shipped to Green Bay.
So I'm sure nothing will possibly go wrong in either of these negotiations. Am I right, Cowboy fan? But don't worry. Don't worry about that now, because your current problem is that your defense is the third worst in the league so far in yards per yards per game, and dead last in plenty of other categories, including third down defense. Porter, Porter, you're number one at failure to stop games in seven seconds, so you're in a class by yourself there.
Porter at least gives you some help. Help that is desperately needed.
So the Cowboy defense is being clowned so hard right now that even former coaches are breaking rank with the fraternity to rip the hell out of new D coordinator Christian Parker. Here was former Ravens and Giants DC Wink Martindale earlier this week. I don't want to be an ass, but he's just he's he's being outclassed right now. Who's that? Parker, isn't it Parker, the defense coordinator?
Yeah, he was he was in you know the home opener against the Giants, and and you know they they got to stop the run. Sundays are frustrating for me when I see there's simple things that that guys are just letting go right by them. And you know, and watching Dallas, that's that's frustrating.
So Jerry can call me, and I'll go help him. Dang! I mean, how many things are wrong, and actually kind of funny about that? Number one, you do not lobby. I mean, this is the coaches' code, the coaches' fraternity.
You do not lobby for a job that another man has. That's a reason to go. Add that to our list of universal reasons to go.
Somebody spits in your face, you go.
Somebody threatens somebody close to you, you go.
Somebody threatens your race or religion, you go.
Somebody who tries to take your job while you actually still have it, you go. I love the classic too. Not to be an a hole, but I don't want to be an ass. But he's add that to my list of things. Not to disrespect disrespect somebody, but no disrespect.
But you're about to get disrespected. Not to be an a hole, but but let me be a complete a hole. I don't want to be an ass. But he's just but but but I'm going to be an a hole by lobbying for a job somebody else had. When you're looking for a job, if that doesn't say a hole, I don't know what it does.
I mean, even if you're an a hole and you maneuver behind the scenes, you're still an a hole. But to get on a pod and to say that publicly, hey Jerry, here I am, man. Anytime you need some help, you got me on speed dial. Yeah, one problem, wink. There's already somebody there with a job.
So, anyway, how this works out for Wink, I don't really know. Wink obviously is auditioning, but Wink. The good news is, the good news is, if you're not able to get this gig, I'm sure you can go back to hosting Tick Tack Toes. You know, adults playing a second graders' game. Great content.
Wink's like, yeah, I'll take the center square. All right, Wink, here's your question: If there was somebody in Dallas who had a job and you wanted that job and you thought you could do that job better, would you lobby for it publicly? Hell yes. X marks the spot.
So Jerry can call me and I'll go help him. I don't know. I like the idea of adding a solid corner a lot better than calling up a snake. To me, Porter Jr. is a better option than Wink.
The defense needed help on the field. Sincerely, the seven-second scoring drive.
Now, the funny thing about this major trade between the Steelers and the Cowboys is, I see just as many people. In fact, this is actually overwhelming it, and I can't believe it. But just as many people talking about Mike Tomlin as they are about this trade, pretty big trade, but apparently not as big as Mike Tomlin's Minecraft City, which is actually overshadowing the trade completely on social media. It's just hard for me to tell for sure because I've got no idea what Tomlin or anybody else is talking about. That's not where I live.
That's not what I do. I have no idea if that's the best thing ever, the worst thing ever, overrated, overhyped, mid. I don't know because I don't really understand Minecraft. It's not what I do. I don't know what a Minecraft city means.
I don't know how an NFL head coach has time to be working on a video game. City for 12 years while also running the Steelers, but apparently it is possible. And clearly, the internet is extremely impressed. Judging by the reaction of the internet, Mike Tomlin has finally delivered on that straight fire that he promised all of us 13 years back. Better late than never, I guess.
Hard to believe this post was 13 years ago. And come to find out now, I guess it predates the start of his Minecraft city. Hello, Twitter. Expect no BS from me. Just straight fire.
And then none. None. None. The entire time he was on, a decade or more. And then, for more than a decade, that was one of the all-time examples of a completely undelivered promise.
However, according to the internet, his Minecraft city is definitely straight fire. Here is a little piece of Tomlin's tour, taking us inside his strange video game alternate universe. This apartment building right here. Across the street from the aquarium is kind of where we'll get started talking about the residential housing. As I take you in, you see, for whatever reason, I always got fixated on providing details in bedrooms.
I would build out bedrooms and put the interior decorating, etc. Probably more so than any other component of the residences. But as you can see, the rooftop penthouse is a two-bedroom. We're in one of the bedrooms, and you'll see how the aquarium is kind of central throughout the residences. Again, I got an open floor plan.
I didn't detail the kitchen or the living room space in any way, but it was just more important to me that this aquarium was central throughout. All right, so that that is actually an Affleck thing. Let me give you my reaction. Because I do like houses, I do like architecture, I do like real estate. I am not a fan of the aquarium in the middle of the house.
I don't like that. Athletes always do that, and then they get really weird about that, and they put sharks in there so they can be badass. I am not an aquarium guy, and I am especially not an aquarium guy, which is right smack dab in the middle of that house.
Now, I do appreciate the finishes and the detail to the bedrooms, but as I looked out that window, I saw automobiles. Bro, are you building on a main highway? That—that's another problem I have. I don't like that. I don't want to hear cars.
And I've lived in some houses where the sound travels so far you can actually hear a freeway that's nowhere near you. I don't like that. But that dude had cars right outside his bedroom.
However, I did like the finishes. I did like the attention to detail. I just did not like the aquarium. But I do have one more word in response to all of that. All of that.
And it's not architectural. It's not artistic. It's nerd. Nerd. Freaking nerd.
It's just so bizarre to hear Mike Tomlin talking about residential housing, interior decorating, rooftop penthouses, open floor plans. I mean, bro, do you work for NBC or HDTV? It would be bizarre to watch any long-time NFL coach talk like this, but somehow it's even more bizarre than it's Tomlin. The whole thing just does not add up for me.
So ultimately, I will leave the judgment of how impressive this all is to the actual video game experts. Luckily for me, I've got one on staff right down the hall. I have a legend in the gaming space in the XCR, Lorne. If you do not mind, because I know that you took that all in. Can you just give me a grade?
What grade would you give Mike Tomlin's precious Minecraft City that he spent the better part of a decade working on? Were you or are you as impressed as the rest of the internet, Lauren? Hey, Lauren. Hi, Jim. Hey, Lauren.
I've got so I've got a little bit to kind of talk about here. Particularly, I want to call out all of the haters. Going against Mike Tomlin, I did not expect it to look like this at all. But well, first off, can we can we get the yeah? Let's get the salt ready here.
I've got a little bit of video here, if you don't mind, for me to play of Mike Tomlin talking about his city. Please roll. Lighting was a challenge 12 years ago in terms of making sure things were well lit. I used a lot of glow stones early on, not because I like the glow stone, I really didn't, but lighting was important. Hey, sorry to cut you off.
What do you think about the paintings in the game? I didn't necessarily like the paintings, but I just wanted to kind of represent interior design. There's one painting that's like a silhouette of a person. That's my favorite painting.
So, Jim. What I particularly wanted to show there was he knows that twelve years ago there were not good lighting sources in Minecraft. He knows that he's talking about the paintings. Like he built this. I know he built this, and I know he's locked.
So, first off, anybody that says he didn't build it is just stupid. He clearly cares enough about it. I think it's almost honestly kind of pure. It's like um, it's like if your like grandfather shows you his old airplane collection. It's like very clearly he just loves architecture, and this is kind of how he expressed it.
But I specifically wanted. Wanted to call somebody else out, Jim. We've got these idiots on Twitter who are asking like AI and stuff to see how much time he spent and try and break it down. And hold up, that's not just an idiot on Twitter. That guy calls himself an attorney.
I don't know how he possibly could have passed the bar with this level of knowledge if he couldn't ask Brock in the test. I don't know, but I kind of updated the text here. Just he doesn't play Minecraft. I don't want to hear any. The only people flaming Tomlin or like making weird assessments about it are people who have never played the game.
So I don't want to hear a Jim A plus from me. All right, so that that's incredible. You've never dropped an A plus on well any of us here.
So I know you love that. One more thing, Lauren. And this is completely out of my naivete and ignorance. Minecraft.
So, are you playing? Is it a game? Is there a scoreboard, or are you just creating? It's a game.
So Mike Tomlin is in what we call creative mode, where he's able to run around and build buildings as he wants. You can play like the kind of game where you know there's monsters that you fight and stuff like that. But he's just in creative mode, so he can infinitely pretty much build whatever he wants, and that's what he did. And this is only episode one. I don't know how much coverage that's gotten in the whole thing.
He has got like at least three or four more episodes of content. He's got baseball fields he hasn't talked about. He's got suburbs. He's got like a whole it's a whole thing.
So, what kind of commitment? If you build out what he built out, and he says he's been doing it for twelve years, like what does that take? Is that a half hour a day, half hour a week? I mean, it's depend on who you are. Like, what kind of a time commitment would that be?
I don't. I completely believe him when he says that. Just kind of every once in a while, like somebody with even like a rigorous job like him can probably find some time every once in a while to you know just build a building or something. Like this is very clear. There's a lot of time and effort put into this.
But I believe him when he says, like, yeah, I have a really busy work schedule. But also for 12 years, 12 years is a long time. I don't think people are registering that. 12 years to put down some blocks. All right.
So what about your community? How does your community that you have developed compare to his? His, what? What do you mean, my like my Minecraft community? Yeah, I just I just kill stuff in Minecraft.
I I don't I don't really play. I don't really. You're just violent. He creates and you kill. He's.
I mean, that's why he's an NFL head coach. He creates and you kill. That's a great. That's a great summary. All right, there you go.
Thank you very much, Lauren. That helps. Like, so Lauren gave him an A plus. An A plus. I don't know that Lauren's given us any work that we've ever done here since he came through this door.
An A plus. So, Mike Tomlin of all people—I don't know if he's blowing off steam. I don't know if that was a way for him to relate to his kids. I don't really know, but he's committed. I know this.
I cannot wait for Dan Campbell to build his Minecraft city. You know, Jim Harbaugh is spending every available minute he has on his. There's no church here. He's probably creating a private screening room so he can private. That's private.
I don't. I mean, I don't know. Bill Belichick. What if I wonder if Bill Belichick created that dilapidated condo that he walked out of with his moobs hanging out and was caught on that ring cam? I wonder if Belichick created that.
How about Sean Payton, Mike Vrabel? I know that Vrabels includes a rooftop with a couple's resort. What other NFL coaches are spending their time doing this, and it kind of gives you a peek into who and what they are, right? Like when you see what you develop and what you build. All right, so not where I live, not what I do, but Lorne made a beeline out of here yesterday and said, "Oh, I'm all about it.
I'll be there for it." And I said, "Make sure you have a review for me," and he did, a plus. Like I said, how did this guy go from like the biggest badass in the NFL to such a nerd? But a super nerd. Neglected. All right.
In addition to that, I want to talk some Major League Baseball.
So, are you feeling any of the energy? Are you feeling any of the buzz? I would say it's a little bit too soon for that.
However, there are some pretty noteworthy things going on. The Yankees run right through the Red Sox. The Padres carry that energy in the game too, and they knock the Cubs the hell out. The Astros were an absolute disaster. Philadelphia left for dead, bounces back, and they're still alive.
So I'm actually into it. I'm more into it. I think that some other people are. And then the NBA already our first fight clause.
So we've got that. Kaywin DeBora coming up at twelve forty. James Kelly one o'clock. In fact, we're gonna go back to back to back. Kaywin DeBora, James Kelly, James Cook.
What's your beef in hour number three?
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dot com slash jim. Application times and rates may vary. You're listening to the Jim Rome Show. I want you to start thinking in the back of your mind what your Beef might be because, as I always mention on Thursdays, especially on a day like this where we go back to back to back, we start moving downhill, and the next thing you know, we're top of hour number three, and you're not ready to roll. Start thinking what you want to beef about because the next ninety minutes are going to move really quickly.
Your reaction coming up momentarily. Kailyn DeBoer, next segment. A few years ago, a loss in our family was a reminder that life is unpredictable. This is why having life insurance became a priority for my family. Protecting your loved ones with life insurance is easier than you think.
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dot com slash jim. E T H O S. dot com slash jim. Application times and rates may vary. All right, some quick reaction for you.
Let's see here. Stuck nut radio. Not to be an a hole, but getting an hour of gaming in per day is not very difficult. I don't want to be an ass, but he's just. Come on, nut nut.
It's one thing for you. Number one, I don't want to interfere with your work here. Do I? Do I not pay you? Number two, for an NFL head coach, you have an hour a day to do that.
And why, why five quote adults who play video games equals a reason to go. What else do we have here? This is a very common response from the yinzers. Rome, I think during this period, if you were three and nine in the playoffs, you would try to build a team, not waste time with fantasy cities that aren't paying you a dime. But the owner of the team was paying you plenty to build an offense.
Sign Tom Sharp, Why Town. All right.
So, is there anything to that? Why don't we look at the stats before and after the Minecraft coaching? Let's see here, Mike Tomlin. Mike Tomlin Minecraft splits according to Warren Sharp. Before Minecraft, in his seven seasons before he started building that city out, he had a Super Bowl win.
He had two Super Bowl trips. He had five Super Bowl wins. Then, when he spent 12 years on Minecraft, the numbers regress to zero Super Bowl wins, zero Super Bowl trips, three playoff wins, three and nine overall record. That's why I'm well compensated. What?
So you can play Minecraft. The numbers would suggest he was much more effective as a head coach before he took to his computer to use it for Minecraft.
So I may have to side with Steeler fan on this. It's hard to argue with those numbers. All right, here's something to argue about. Good and the bad. The good is there are people that are finding this show for the first time ever.
Absolutely love it, love it, and I love that they like what they hear. The problem is you're having a hard time with the rules. Romy Lorian said, "This is Lorian. Run him, Jim." Pimp, I must ask you to cease and desist your calling of Patrick Mahomes as Kermy T and KC. Tell you what T, I will cease and desist calling Patrick Mahomes Kermy when you cease and desist calling Lorne Lorian.
I'm here. No, I won't. I'm here. I will cease and desist. I love Patrick Mahomes.
You're new to it, so you might think that I'm hating, but I don't. I love the guy. I will cease and desist calling Patrick Mahomes Kermit, not Kermy, Kermit, when he stops sounding like Kermit. You need to put some respect on Lorian's name. Lorian's name is Lorne.
All right, I got a break. We'll finish this up when we come back. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama head coach, joins me next. You're listening to the Jim Rome Show. My dough never sees a freezer.
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All right, so we're going back to back to back, big Thursday. I am in Southern California. I'm Jim Rome. It is great to be here. Even better to have you here.
We are joined right now by the head football coach at Alabama. He's in his third season with the Crimson Tide. Alabama went 11 and four, and they reached the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff last year. He also, of course, coached at Washington, where he led the Huskies to the 2023 Pac-12 Championship and the National Championship Game. He was the 2023 AP National Coach of the Year.
Alabama's out fast. They're four and zero. They're two and zero in SEC play. They are up to number seven in this week's AP poll, and they've got a big one coming up on Saturday. They take on 16th ranked Mississippi State.
We are joined right now by Kalen DeBoer. Kalen, my man, always great to see you. Kalen, how you doing? I'm doing great. Thanks for having me on again, Jim.
Always good to have you, Kalen. Thanks for making time. You know, believe it or not, I spent a good portion of the opening of the program talking about Mike Tomlin's Minecraft City. I've got to ask you, Kalen, how is your Minecraft City coming along? I'm definitely not speaking that world, so not very good, I guess.
Me too. I have no idea what I was talking about, but I thought I'd take a shot. Listen, in terms of your team, you can't do much better than four and zero. What are some of the things that have pleased you the most as you review this part of the season up to date? I think just progress, you know, and in as a team, each side of the ball.
There's things that I think we continue to get better at. I think we continue to understand who we are with our identity, and the physicality continues to improve. And just our process that we go through each and every week, we continue to refine it, evolve it, make it better. These guys care, and it kind of it just shows with everything that's happening up to this point.
So, Kevin, in terms of identity, does every single Team have its own identity, or do you have one established identity right there that you want your teams to learn every single year?
Well, I mean, it's all around. You know the how we want it to look. You know what we want it to feel like. And I mean, obviously, physicality is something we've really stressed. You know, just knowing that that was an area that you know related to the run game in particular, where we fell short.
And we've we've got physical players, and we just needed to execute. And along with the confidence that that I think is continuing to come about, you can see the physicality show. Up, you can see the the finish, you know, and the straining to finish happening, and just you know, our guys are are feeding off it, and it's really it's really fun to see.
So I think that's one thing, and I think it leads to just finishing even the game in our second half. Pretty much of most games has been really strong. We finished out in the in the third and fourth quarter with some of our best football, pretty much every game. We are talking to Alabama head football coach Kain DeBoer. Speaking of your running game, let me keep you right there for a minute.
I mean, you are lighting it up on the scoreboard offensively, but you are doing it both through the air and on the ground. Daniel Hill is averaging seven yards per carry. As a Mississippi native, how hyped is he for Saturday's game? And then, how critical is he to what you are looking to do offensively? Yeah, I think he kind of downplayed it around us.
I think, but I'm sure it means an awful lot for him. And you know, you don't take that for granted when you're in in my position. And so, you know, he's he had a great week of practice, just like he always has. But you know, all these guys, it's proximity, it's very close, and so there's a lot of back and forth. These guys, you know, it seems like they all know each other, but especially in this case with with two teams so so regionally located.
Alabama head coach Kellen Boys, joining us once again.
So, Cam, the quarterback, he had to replace Ty Simpson, of course. He goes to the Rams with the 13th pick overall. In steps Keion Russell, who was electric in Saturday's win over South Carolina. He accounted for over 400 yards of offense, five touchdowns. Obviously, you have found yourself another one.
And the thing about this guy, you tell me, otherwise he's only 19.
So, how uncommon is he? Not just physically, but also in that he has all the intangibles. Necessary that come along with playing that position at that school. Yeah, you know he, you know he's gotten his shot and. You know, you're seeing a lot of the things that I think he did at high school, but now at the at the next level against very good opponents, and so it it doesn't surprise us because I think we kind of saw a lot of those traits in him, and now he's got guys around him that are helping him be the best that he can be.
Just he's going out there and not trying to do too much. I think that's really what you've seen the last couple weeks. He's just you know trusting that he's got what it takes. He's doing a great job. Our football team, you can see the passion and fire in him coming out more and more every week.
And he he played a pretty complete game last week. You know, took took care of the football. That's been something we've certainly talked about a lot all all the time. But he's he's done it. And then now you see the explosive plays happening, and you know, decision to making and the managing of the game.
All those things that matter when it comes to elite quarterback play. He's doing it. And then on top of that, taking advantage of. Weapons, for instance, Ryan Coleman Williams caught a pair of touchdown passes against the Gamecocks as your leading receiver this year. How do you view him in terms of carrying on that Bama tradition of outstanding playmakers like Devonte Smith and Jalen Waddle?
Yeah, and again, you just you're just asking him to be him. He's different than those guys. Those guys were amazing players, and Ryan, rightfully so, is the same way. And just you know, but he's got a different style. He's you know how he does things, and it's cool to see he and Keelan hooking up.
It's cool to see the just the way that you know Ryan leads has led our team. He really is the only guy that's taken Michael Carroll at offensive guard played a lot, especially the second half of the season, but. Ryan by far has the most snaps wearing a crimson tide jersey on our offense, and he did an amazing job in the off season, leading that group, that side of the ball in particular. And now you can see it paying off, and just everyone's—he's such an easy guy to root for because of what he pours into everyone else in this place. Alabama head football coach Kellen DeBoer is our guest.
Kellen, what about the other side of the ball? The defense did its job Saturday, winning the turnover battle against South Carolina. And even housed one of Lenoris Sellers' picks. Has the defense? You and I talked about identity briefly at the top of the interview.
Has the defense established its identity yet this season? If so, how would you describe it? Yeah, I think there's a physicality we have. We've had a couple execution errors that have led to some explosive plays, but in the end, we we have I think you know imposed our will at times on teams, and you know in the pass rush and stopping the run and. You know, early in the season, you know, we had some good games where we we really shut down the pass game.
So, if we can really just bring it all together, which I know we're more than capable of, we have some very good players there that really care. You know, that'd be great to see. We've had, you know, I think you talked about interception for a touchdown. We've had three interceptions for touchdowns this year, so that's something that you know our guys, you know, are looking to do and it's making plays. You know, we just got to make sure we're not giving up the big ones, and and I think you.
You know, we continue to make progress in cleaning that up. Cameron, it's a great recipe, right? Make big plays, don't give up the big ones. Chances are things will work out.
So you're getting ready to face a Mississippi State team that's also four and zero, and they're led by one of the most exciting quarterbacks in the country in Camario Taylor. What have you seen by looking at the film of Taylor? And when you see a dual threat quarterback like that, what do you think? And what about the rest of the Bulldogs' offense? Man, he yeah they you know are averaging 530 some yards a game and it's it's run it's pass and they have electric players around Camarillo and he's getting the ball to him and so he's getting enough time to throw it so that's a tribute to their offensive line but he's he's finding guys and he's extending plays and keeping his eyes downfield and they're active because they believe that he'll he'll get them the ball and so.
They got a good recipe, you know, for success. That's that's brewing there on that side of the ball, really, as a team. But you know, Camaros. You know, get agile and has elite arm talent. You know, just electric in all ways.
Hey, Kevin. Before we go, let me ask you about the game overall. Like, instead of me going to the, hey, what are we going to do about college football? What are we going to do about the guardrails? The thing about college football is, and I've got a few people in the NFL that have told me this.
It's almost like there's as many eyeballs on the college game as the pro game right now. There's almost like as much interest in the college game as the pro game. If Not more. Is that the way it feels to you? Even with all the challenges that are surrounding the college game right now.
I don't. Yeah, I don't know NFL to college what that looks like in comparison. But I feel like there are a lot of you know, and we always feel that from an Alabama perspective that there's a lot of people watching and and excited and interested. And so you know, just hopefully we can continue to you have have the game be represented the way that we all want it to be, and keep that excitement and people you know wanting to. You talk about.
Rooting for people, you know. Let's root for the. Hopefully, be able to continue to keep the game heading the right direction where you can root for the game as well. And we have a lot of good kids, and I think a lot of programs do. You know, these guys are working as hard as we've ever seen.
You know, so it's in them, and so now it's just a matter of keeping the game and everything that can bring it together in control and consistent.
So one last thought, Ken. You're so grounded. You're so grounded. You're so humble. You've won everywhere you've been.
How long did it take you? No, let me rephrase that. How's your headspace? How are you feeling about Tuscaloosa? How do you like living and working and doing what you do right there, right now, as you and I speak?
I'm blessed, man. I am blessed, and I got amazing staff around me that is coming together more and more. Just as we've gone through these years, continuity, you know, is there. It makes things for more efficiency. I think, you know, you talk about identity and just who we are and our culture and stuff.
It's just the staff. It starts with them and the people around you. But just living here, and you know, I just know I'd rather be around people that really care than people. That don't, and this place has a lot of people that care, that are super passionate. And you know, we we knew when we came here, myself, our staff, obviously the players too.
We know what we signed up for, and excited about what that journey brings and everything that you know, everything that's involved with it. And so, just you know, you want to be challenged to be your best. And some people say it, but they don't really want to live it. That's what I love seeing with our guys is that they they want to go. Face those challenges that come their way.
I love all that.
So great to hear, Kellen. For the last time, I want to make sure that you understand this point. When I've interviewed coaches on the way up, they got to the pinnacle and then they were nowhere to be found. You have always been accessible to us, always, no matter where you've been. And I want you to know how much I appreciate you.
And I appreciate that, Kellen. Thanks so much. Yeah. You bet. My pleasure.
It's great always being on with you. Love your energy as well.
So thanks a lot, Jim. You too, Kalen. You're the best. Nobody better. Kalen DeBora joining us.
I mean that. I've interviewed coaches at smaller programs that needed the publicity. Then they came up and then they felt like they didn't need the publicity and they lost my number. Kalen never did any of that. He's always accessible.
Tremendous appreciation for that and respect for him. And he's doing a hell of a job. They're four and zero. They're top ten. Big game coming up this weekend.
Bama. James Kelly next. My dough never sees a freezer. Fay Hollis makes the biscuits at Hardee's. I'm up at 5 a.m.
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I got up early. The least. You can do is show up hungry.
