Kalen DeBoer Calls No. 4 Alabama a 'Work in Progress' amid 3-0 Start to 2024 Season

Alabama football may have opened the Kalen DeBoer era with three straight wins, but the Crimson Tide's new head coach believes his team still has improvements to make.

"There's just playcalling rhythms and taking the field and how we communicate, just so many nuances that the great teams have," DeBoer said, per ESPN's Adam Rittenberg. "We're a work in progress."

No. 4 Alabama won 42-10 over Wisconsin on Saturday after opening the season with victories over Western Kentucky and South Florida.

DeBoer will now look to continue developing his team as the Crimson Tide prepare to begin SEC play next Saturday against No. 1 Georgia.

The coach credited Alabama's play during the Saturday win over Wisconsin, during which the Crimson Tide committed no turnovers, to that week's practice, per Rittenberg.

Quarterback Jalen Milroe also told reporters that he had focused on avoiding turnovers in practice leading up to Week 3, Rittenberg noted.

"It just takes time," DeBoer said, per Rittenberg. "It takes repetitions for everyone, and we were much more in sync this week, whether it was today or whether it was all week, through our game-planning. There's some recall with play calls from last week or the week before, and it isn't just us going against our defense. We're seeing different looks."

Alabama opened the season with a 63-0 blowout of Western Kentucky that saw the Crimson Tide rack up 600 total yards of offense.

DeBoer's program had a more difficult time the following week against South Florida, when a series of costly turnovers saw the Crimson Tide close out the third quarter with a one-point lead.

Alabama recovered to score a quartet of touchdowns in the fourth quarter and close out a 42-16 win in a resurgence DeBoer told reporters after the game highlighted what the team needed to work on.

"Going to be a lot to learn from and so excited about the challenge, the opportunity," DeBoer said after the win over South Florida. "Because that's what this. I think you need games like this. This isn't a wake up call or nothing like that. It's nothing like that. Just keep raising standard."

DeBoer joined the Crimson Tide in January following the retirement of former head coach Nick Saban. The currently undefeated Alabama coach is looking for a second straight trip to the CFP after compiling a 25-3 record, two bowl appearances and a trip to national championship game in two seasons with Washington.