As Alabama Crimson Tide fans look ahead to another showdown with Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs, one critically important focus has emerged: limit turnovers on offense.
📌 Why this matters:
- Georgia consistently pressures opponents into mistakes. In past Crimson Tide vs. Bulldogs clashes, Alabama’s best outcomes featured near-perfect ball security. In the 2023 SEC Championship (27–24 win), Alabama committed zero turnovers .
- Analytics back this up: an unforced turnover costs approximately five points on average—impacting field position and momentum .
What DeBoer must do:
- Emphasize safe play: Whether in practice or meetings, the message must be clear—no freebies, especially in high-stakes moments. Jalen Milroe already echoed this sentiment in the SEC Championship against Georgia—“Protect the football”
- Mirror Saban’s discipline: Nick Saban’s teams thrived on meticulous attention to detail. DeBoer, while a less rigid stylist, must not give that edge to Smart’s defense
Defense and special teams matter too:
While turnovers are the priority, Alabama also must:
- Create turnovers themselves—a signature of Saban-era Alabama, with eight takeaways in Smart’s five losses
- Maintain discipline in play-calling, clock use, and penalties to avoid gifting the Bulldogs advantageous situations.
🔑 Bottom line:
To topple Georgia once more, DeBoer’s top mandate: protect the football at all costs. A clean offensive game gives Alabama a fighting chance—and underlines his readiness to carry on Saban’s legacy while adding his own chapter.
