Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer shares thoughts on Michigan football vs. Texas

He may be in his first year coaching Alabama, but Kalen DeBoer is only a game removed from having coached Washington — both in the win against Texas and the loss to Michigan.

The Longhorns look mostly the same at this point, though there are new skill players, running backs, and defensive linemen. But Michigan looks much different on offense, personnel-wise, similar on defense, and has a new coaching staff.

As someone who’s faced both teams within the calendar year, DeBoer shared his thoughts on the upcoming matchup, the biggest in college football through the first few weeks of the young 2024 season.

“Both have got a physical mindset and mentality that way, understanding that you win the big games by being able to run the football,” DeBoer said. “Without really diving in and understanding what those teams all return, I think there’s probably a little more continuity just in general with no coaching change at Texas.

“I know Coach Moore has probably kept a lot of that continuity in place. Some turnover there with a couple of key positions, especially at quarterback.”

That said, the ideals of both teams are the same. Texas wants to pass the ball and stop the run, Michigan wants to run the ball and stop everything.

DeBoer says that this will be a game that will be won up front on both sides of the ball and whoever manages to outwork the other in the trenches is likely to win the game.

“I would expect a physical football game,” DeBoer said. “Both teams pride themselves on different wrinkles in different ways. Probably Coach Sark in the passing game and play-calling, and Michigan with Coach Moore and more of the different creative ways to run the football as well. That’s probably just a real general overview of what I would expect without having dove into their teams too much right now.”

Michigan and Texas will face off at 12:10 p.m. EDT with the game being nationally broadcast on Fox.