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Alabama and Kentucky will meet in the SEC's first conference game of the season Saturday in Lexington. It's the earliest SEC opener for Alabama since 2007. Tide coach Kalen DeBoer held his weekly news conference Monday. Here was everything he said: Opening statement: Good morning. We heard from the coordinators on a few things that I want to address too, but just I first want to thank the fans that came out. Extremely hot out there, not much of a breeze, and so appreciate y'all hanging out there through it, and the support you gave the guys. they feel it every time you step in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Obviously we got a chance to go on the road now, first SEC game, and we'll know what it's like to be on the other end of that. But just I know you heard from Kane and Grubb. Just want to hit on the special teams a little bit because I thought it was something that you know guys did a nice job. Can always be better. A little miscommunication on a kick return there. Botched the fielding of it, but between Lorcan being perfect on kicking the ball out of the back of the end zone on kickoffs and Conor hitting his kicks, including a, you know, 40-plus-yarder on the first drive. Just getting him out there and getting that getting that taken care of right away, as well as Alex getting his first kicks, his first punts, averaging 52, went inside the 20. I thought it was a nice day for all those guys, including the snappers. So wanted to highlight that a little bit. But, again, there was good effort, good energy. You know, as far as the heat concerned with us, I think it was really, really an issue. We've been practicing in it. It's been a warmer camp, and so I thought that it showed up that we knew how to prepare for it. Really very little when it came to cramps or anything like that. So, you know, we're going to continue to work on, and I don't think it was, (I) thought it was probably where you'd expect game one to be improved on when it comes to the key fundamentals of blocking and tackling, and so, just we'll continue to work on that. Got film to go off of now and teach off of. It was time for us to play, and now we understand the areas that are our strengths, you know, weaknesses. Kind of know that going in, but it gets emphasized even more when it's out on a Saturday afternoon.