"We dug ourselves in a hole": Kalen DeBoer blames Alabama's first quarter performance for ReliaQuest Bowl loss to Michigan

Kalen DeBoer's first season at Alabama ended on a disappointing note on Tuesday as his team suffered another defeat. After missing out on the College Football Playoff, the 11th-ranked Crimson Tide fell 19-13 to unranked Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

In his postgame news conference, DeBoer believes his team's abysmal performance in the first quarter was responsible for the bowl game loss. The Wolverines scored 16 of their 19 points in the first quarter as Alabama struggled on both sides of the ball.

“Just congrats to Michigan here,” DeBoer said. “Obviously, we dug ourselves in a hole in the first quarter. The turnovers gave them a great field position. I thought our guys did a good job on both of those drives holding them to field goals. They gave us a chance.

“I love the fight in our team at the end of the first half to gain some momentum. Just got to finish some drives there and at the end of the fourth quarter. That’s what it comes to: make a throw, make a catch.”

While Alabama (9-4) fought back in subsequent quarters of the game, it wasn't enough to get a win as the Michigan defense stood strong to maintain the lead. The matchup showcased the loads of work ahead of Kalen DeBoer in Tuscaloosa.

Kalen DeBoer on why Alabama didn't focus more on the run game

Alabama has been fantastic in the run game this season. With quarterback Jalen Milroe's impressive dual-threat ability, the Tide were able to make a lot of big plays on the ground.

However, they didn't run the ball that much in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Tuesday. Kalen DeBoer explained why his team opted for a different game strategy against Michigan (8-5).

“I think that they were one of the top five rushing defenses, and I know that there were personnel on both sides that were different maybe from what you would see in the regular season," DeBoer said. Both us and them.

“But I think there was certainly part of our game plan where we felt we needed to spit the ball out and get the ball in the right guys’ hands. We were trying to do that. Whether it was slipping or incomplete passes, some of those plays didn’t get executed the way that you practiced them for the last two or three weeks.”

Kalen DeBoer probably saw his team run the ball more this season than at any other time in his college football coaching career. Milroe rushed for 719 yards and 20 touchdowns, more than any other time in his career. This showcased the coach's willingness to play to the strength of his players.