One thing about Alabama HC Kalen DeBoer that no one seems to be talking about ahead of matchup against the Tennessee Vols

The Tennessee Vols' showdown with the Alabama Crimson Tide this weekend is viewed by most folks -- fans and media -- as a complete toss-up, despite the fact that the game is in Knoxville.

Tennessee and Alabama are both in a good spot at the halfway point of the season (both teams are 5-1), but both programs have questions after recent performances that can best be described as "uneven".

The Vols' offense has yet to hit its stride in SEC play and Alabama has plenty of defensive questions.

Something has to give this weekend. Either the Vols' offense finally finds its rhythm or Alabama finally has a dominant defensive performance in an SEC game.

One factor in the game that's flown a bit under-the-radar this week that could make a big difference is the fact that this will be Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer's first true road test in the SEC.

And yes, I know that Alabama lost on the road to Vanderbilt earlier this season, but that loss was mainly because of how the Commodores played, not because of the crowd noise at FirstBank Stadium.

DeBoer has never experienced, as a head coach, what he's going to experience on Saturday evening in Knoxville.

The first year Alabama head coach is going into an environment that will likely be the most hostile that he's experienced in his career. And it's a game that's considered a must-win for the Crimson Tide (it's a must-win for the Vols, too).

DeBoer acknowledged on his coach's show this week that he watched part of Tennessee's win against Florida and tried to get a "feel" for what it'll be like in Neyland this weekend.

"Yeah, I got a good feel, kind of, since it was a game there, having not been there myself, just trying to understand the environment we were going into," said DeBoer .

How will DeBoer handle that kind of environment in a game that he has to win? (Or else Bama fans will start to get restless -- losing two games before November doesn't go over well in Tuscaloosa.)

There's no substitute for experience. And DeBoer has very little experience when it comes to big road games in the SEC. That doesn't mean that he and his team won't come through on Saturday night in Neyland. Maybe they will. It's anyone's guess right now. But an extremely loud orange-clad crowd will certainly have an impact on the game. And it could make enough of a difference to swing this game in Tennessee's favor.

Related: Florida HC Billy Napier says Tennessee Vols defender made an 'incredible play' against the Gators