“Crimson Tide Crush Western Kentucky 63-0 in First Game Post-Saban, Led by Coach Kalen DeBoer”
Speculation about how the Alabama Crimson Tide would perform without their iconic head coach, Nick Saban, as they entered the 2024 season was put to rest on Saturday, when they dominated Western Kentucky with a 63-0 victory under their new head coach, Kalen DeBoer.
Heading into Week 1, the Crimson Tide had heard all the doubters, including Western Kentucky’s quarterback, TJ Finley.
Finley, who previously played at LSU, Auburn, and Texas State before joining WKU for his fifth college season, commented before the game that Alabama “might not be who they think they are.”
Alabama linebacker Tyler Booker acknowledged that Finley’s remark provided some extra motivation. “It was a bit disrespectful, and we definitely noticed it,” Booker said, as quoted by SI.com. “It wasn’t our main reason for putting up 63 points, of course – we always aim to play at our best – but it did give us a little extra fire.
When one of their players says something like, ‘[They] might not be who [they] think [they] are,’ our goal becomes proving exactly who we are. I think we did that, and I believe he would agree.”
Alabama, ranked fourth nationally to start the new season, looked explosive with veteran quarterback Jalen Milroe, who remained with the team despite Saban’s retirement. Milroe threw for 200 yards and three touchdowns on just seven completions and added two rushing touchdowns, gaining 79 yards on 10 carries.
In contrast, Finley struggled, completing 18 of 31 passes for just 92 yards with two interceptions and no touchdowns. WKU’s leading rusher, Elijah Young, managed only 18 yards on 10 carries.
Alabama outclassed WKU in team stats as well, racking up 600 yards of total offense compared to WKU’s 145. The Crimson Tide also averaged an impressive 9.2 yards per play.
It was a remarkable debut for DeBoer, who had previously taken the Washington Huskies to the national title game in 2023. Although they ultimately lost to the Michigan Wolverines, DeBoer impressed Alabama enough to become the next head coach of the storied SEC program.