Better isn’t necessarily good, but Kalen DeBoer will take it as his Alabama Crimson Tide leads Missouri 13-0 at halftime in Tuscaloosa.
The Tide has been flagged five times for 55 yards, a season-long issue for his team.
“Unfortunate happens a lot of ways,” DeBoer told the Crimson Tide Sports Network at halftime when asked about “unfortunate” penalties. “Some of them are self-inflicted. Some are just, I don’t what to say. I have thoughts, but it is what it is. We can’t make excuses. We have to play the game the way it is meant to be played.”
The first-year coach said his team played better in the latter part of the half.
“We know they are good in the red zone defensively,” he added. “We have to find ways to finish. We can’t shoot ourselves in the foot with the hold.”
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Alabama got field goals of 47 and 39 yards from Graham Nicholson to go with Jam Miller’s 3-yard score.
“We have to finish drives,” DeBoer told ABC at halftime. “We were backed up there. We had two opportunities where we have to find a way to get in the end zone. We shot ourselves in the foot with the penalty there.”
Meanwhile, he is pleased with Alabama defense, which held Missouri to 101 total yards. Malachi Moore’s interception also turned the momentum.
“They are finding ways to get off the field,” DeBoer said about the defense. “They are working hard at that. Field position has been heavily in (Missouri’s) favor until the end here. Proud of the way they are playing. …
“The three points keeps them in it, (but) defense gave us a spark with that pick.”
