What Alabama player Kalen DeBoer said about facing Auburn

The incident began with Alabama football’s DeVonta Smith and Auburn’s KeAndre Lambert-Smith fighting on the Tigers’ sideline after an incompletion. The two went to the ground in the third quarter of Saturday’s Crimson Tide win and once again pushed there.

Other players from Alabama and Auburn joined the commotion around them, and the moment ended with Smith and fellow UA defensive lineman Malachi Moore being cited for unsportsmanlike conduct. After the penalty kick, Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer appeared angry and talked to the referees.

“I saw the first part of it and I thought – I understand there was a part that we probably didn’t handle as well as we needed to,” DeBoer said after the game. “That’s why I don’t want to get involved in too much else. I know I had a feeling there was something that triggered it, but that’s all I know. And you know, it was on the other sideline, so you can’t see much.

“But certainly one of those things that gave them a little momentum with those yards after that. But you know, it’s an emotional game. You play it all year long and it builds up to it and the game itself swings back and forth and there are a lot of swings. It’s not okay, but understand where the emotions were on both sides. So there’s a lot of people over there, so it’s hard for me to say what’s going on.”

Auburn continued down the field and scored on the drive. However, it wasn’t enough for a complete comeback and Alabama won 28-14.

UA defensive lineman Bray Hubbard then described his demeanor during the altercation.

“Protect our guys, protect our team,” Hubbard said. “We don’t want any personal fouls. I don’t want anything that harms the team. So my first thought was, get my guys, get us out there on the sideline, just get our guys back and calm everyone down.”

Hubbard said he managed to pull at least one Alabama player out of the fight.

“I went and pulled a guy out,” he said. “But I didn’t come close to anything, I was just thinking: first guy, that first guy I see trying to get someone, grab him so we don’t all do something worse.”

He also supported his teammate.

“I love DeVonta,” Hubbard said. “Hard worker, man. He’s after it every day, I love that guy.”