“Didn’t play like the Alabama we’re used to seeing.“ We have heard this kind of comment since the Alabama vs. USF game last Saturday. Right now, Kalen DeBoer is feeling the heat because everyone is coming after them following their last game. People suggest DeBoer didn’t take charge of his teams as efficiently as Saban could have. That was the reason they received so many penalties in that game. Amidst all that chaos, former Alabama offensive lineman Mike Johnson suggested DeBoer should take notes from Jim Harbaugh and Michigan when they came across this kind of situation.

An Alabama alum and former Atlanta Falcons offensive lineman, Mike Johnson, joined host Mick Gillispie to talk about all the current matters surrounding Alabama. While talking about Kalen DeBoer and the recent backlash he has faced since the game against USF, he said, “We have to give feeling divorce Alabama time, so create an identity, right? It’s for better or worse. We’re never going to see what we saw and say we’re just not men. It says it was the greatest dynasty in the history of the sport.” Johnson explained that although Alabama is the current target of the trolls, it has been a great program for years.

He addressed the main issue Kalen DeBoer is facing right now, which is getting compared to Bama’s goat coach Nick Saban; he said, “You know this past weekend, so it’s Lewis. It’s like, well, it doesn’t look the same as what Nick did, buddy. Nowhere ever has. I just hope Bama, Jalen Miller, and Tyler Booker, the leader, go in with the personality this weekend if it’s us against the world. We got you, Johnson. It’s high time Alabama reflected some unity and showed the world why they are among the few top programs in college football.

Johnson uttered some motivational words for the team to pump them up before Saturday’s game against Wisconsin. “Right, our backs are against the wall. We will fight our way out of this stadium if we have to. That’s always the attitude we try to take in, you know, and so I hope that’s the mindset. I hope you can see it in their eyes when they’re coming out of that tunnel on Saturday. Every Crimson Tide fan is hoping to see something like that in their next game. Fingers crossed. Besides that, when Johnson said Bama is against the world, he referred to a similar situation in Michigan, where, because of a sign-stealing issue, Jim Harbaugh was suspended, and Michigan still rocked the games.

Kalen DeBoer to learn from Jim Harbaugh

Accuses and scandals were surrounding Michigan and coach Harbaugh around this time last year. They were standing in the middle of the 2023 season when all of it happened. Michigan stood together in it and chanted “Us against the world,” which was Harbaugh’s coaching mantra. It worked as Michigan remained undefeated for the next six games and came out even stronger. Any other team could have had their momentum derailed, but not Michigan. Harbaugh not only made sure that the winner run continued, but the team went on to become the national champions, defeating Kalen DeBoer’s Washington in the final.

Mike Johnson is suggesting the same thing to DeBoer right now, who is going through a similar phase. Besides that, we can’t deny the fact Alabama’s last game performance was a little disappointing no matter if they won the game. But they can turn the hate they are facing into strength and bounce back in the next game against Wisconsin. It’s a wait-and-watch scenario, and for all the Tide fans out there, let’s hope DeBoer is able to fix the issues with Bama.