Alabama HC Kalen DeBoer Explains Final Drive

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - On the final drive of the game in Alabama's 23-21 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners, the Crimson Tide was playing for a potential game-winning field goal from kicker Conor Talty. Talty had made every extra point he attempted on Saturday, but missed the lone field goal attempt he had before halftime. Talty had a 36-yard field goal blocked by Oklahoma defensive lineman Taylor Wein, which would have made the game a 17-17 contest heading into halftime.

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Despite the missed kick by Talty, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer revealed during his postgame press conference that the Crimson Tide was playing for a potential game-winning kick against the Sooners, putting trust in his struggling kicker. DeBoer explained the decision process after the game.

"You don't start that way [to drain the clock]. You just try to get out of your own end zone with the ball on our own six," DeBoer said. "You're just trying to get a first down, then you're trying to get another one. Felt good about the situation. We knew we just needed a field goal to win it. But it was more about just getting out of your own territory. Even if we had to punt, with the two timeouts and you're thinking the two-minute warning - we could flip the field and get an opportunity there. Just the grind that it was, it becomes a situation where you get down to two minutes."

Talty has made 68.8% of his kicks on the season, with his longest kick being a 46-yarder, which he has made twice: once against ULM and once against Missouri. Talty is 2-3 inside 30 yards, with his only miss in that range coming last week against LSU. He's 4-4 between 30-39 yards, just 5-8 from 40-49 yards, and 0-1 from 50+.

"Again, that wasn't what the intention was going in, to have this be one possession. I think most people would be on the same page, thinking that you probably have two possessions there left to go win it," DeBoer said.

Alabama's final drive, the drive the Crimson Tide tried to secure a game-winning kick, started at the Crimson Tide's six-yard line and ended on Alabama's 48-yard line. Alabama took 6:24 off the clock, but only went 42 yards before failing to convert a fourth down. Ty Simpson's pass fluttered about a foot shy of Ryan Williams as the Crimson Tide turned it over on downs.

Alabama falls to 8-2 on the season and 6-1 in SEC play. Alabama's next game will come next Saturday, November 22, against Eastern Illinois.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.