How are things different at Alabama after Nick Saban? New coach Kalen DeBoer has a Snapchat

Nick Saban’s old school reluctance to adapt to new school forms of communication has been well documented. He didn’t text until 2022 and sent his first email in the spring of that year after he retired. And just last month, according to daughter Kristen, Saba took her first iPhone photo Greg Byrne, who replaced Saban in January, is nearly 23 years younger and trending with the times. She even has an account on Snapchat, the photo-sharing app that was widely used by teens and 20-somethings in the 2010s.”I have DeBoer’s number,” defensive lineman LT Overton told the Crimson Tide Sports Network this week. “Never been a head coach on Snapchat. I have DeBoer’s Snapchat. It’s crazy. That’s how he connects with his players.”Overton played the last two seasons at Texas A&M for Jimbo Fisher before transferring to Alabama in December and pledging to play for Saban weeks before his retirement.”When they brought DeBoer in, all I can say is — I love his vibe,” Overton said. “The way he brings a younger generation vibe. But he makes sure it’s not just one-sided. He’s like, he’s around everybody. From walking to the O-line to the D-line. Not just an insult. Everyone.”DeBoer also has an account at X (formerly Twitter) and has hired three new employees — Walter Brock, Dante Oliver and Preston Adelman — to bring DeBoer’s vision of social media to life.Never mind. Snapchat – Saban was asked on National Signing Day 2020 if he would consider getting the Twitter account I grew up using, and he spoke up. When I was pumping gas at my dad’s gas station, I looked out the window and said, “Mom, can I help you?” I didn’t text them or ask.”So I guess I kind of feel sorry for the people I see walking around, looking at their phones, running up against a wall, not knowing that someone’s been shot across the street. They don’t even know because they can’t look away from your phone“I’m in the other camp. I feel sorry for such people. I think it is very important to be able to communicate with people in order to develop relationships. I think everyone there understands that I am not a social media person.”I don’t have Twitter. That’s not how I communicate. I really respect and respond better to personal relationships. That’s what players need when they come here and get recruited.”Hopefully it won’t hurt us in any way. But that’s the style. Do you think it will hurt us in any way?”A year and a half later Saban was asked again.”I’ve never been big on social media,” he replied in August 2021. “It takes a lot of time. You have to answer a lot of things… So far it’s worked well. If any of you can convince me to have a Twitter account that helps us do both of these things better, I might consider it. Otherwise, I don’t know why I would consider doing it.”It’s all part of a cultural change that DeBoer is involved with in the Alabama football program, which includes physical changes like the ongoing renovation of Saban’s former office to bring. in more modern, DeBoer also has a more open door policy for players like Saban,” guard Tyler Booker told CTSN last month. “Just be you because you’re here for a reason. Greg Byrne chose you for a reason, so just be you and be the person you were to get you to where you are now.”.