Third-year Alabama offensive lineman Roq Montgomery has observed a distinct shift in his team’s approach since beginning offseason workouts last month. Here’s his take.
Montgomery said the atmosphere around the program is noticeably different. He described his teammates as “more dialed in” and “more serious” than in years past. The focus has squarely shifted to restoring the program to its former glory—an ambitious goal that speaks volumes about the team’s renewed mindset.
“The message right now from me and my teammates, just our entire staff, is we got a different outlook on everything,” Montgomery said in a recent interview. These words left me reflecting on the culture now being cultivated at the prestigious Alabama football program, especially after the departure of legendary head coach Nick Saban and the arrival of new head coach Kalen DeBoer. The Alabama football tradition is held to the highest standard, where fans expect nothing less than championships year in and year out.
What caught my attention was Montgomery’s comments about the program’s evolving dynamics—particularly the more relaxed atmosphere surrounding issues like tardiness, which contrasts with Saban’s famously strict discipline. The idea that DeBoer may be more lenient with infractions like being late or wearing jewelry to practice raises questions about the cultural shift under his leadership. Where Saban would have likely turned a missed practice or tardiness into a teaching moment, even a public reprimanding, DeBoer seems more willing to address these matters with a softer hand.
Montgomery’s candid remarks hint that the program might still be navigating its transition in the wake of a coaching change. There’s an air of uncertainty as Alabama works to find its footing under a new leader, and the road to restoring its legacy will undoubtedly come with growing pains. Montgomery himself admitted that there’s still much to prove to the fans and the college football community. The players and coaching staff aim to show they can rise to the challenge, but whether that translates into a return to elite status remains to be seen.
This brings up an interesting question that deserves deeper reflection: What does this new landscape mean for college football players, particularly in the era of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness)? Are we seeing a shift in how players perceive their role within a college program? With the power to profit from their brand, do players now feel they have more autonomy, like their professional counterparts in the NFL? Does the pressure to conform to a strict team ethos diminish when athletes have more control over their financial futures and personal branding?
Some may argue that I’m overanalyzing the issue, perhaps reading too much into something as simple as being late to practice or wearing jewelry. But I ask anyone reading this to consider what Alabama football once stood for.
Under Nick Saban, the team was known for its unparalleled work ethic, discipline, and deep respect for one another, the coach, and the University of Alabama. This new atmosphere of leniency, perhaps harmless, challenges the perception of what it means to play for a program that has set the standard in college football for nearly two decades.
Time will tell if this shift in culture under DeBoer will lead Alabama back to its former dominance, but one thing is sure: this shift in college football is happening across the country. As we look toward 2025 and beyond, the dynamics of the sport are changing rapidly. The era of college athletes as strictly “student-athletes” is evolving, and the question remains: Will it lead to more success, or are we witnessing a pivot away from the traditions that made college football great?
Only time will reveal how this new era shapes the game’s future.
