Kalen DeBoer Puts Locker Room on Notice After Slapping Own Player With Suspension Before Week 8 Game

Alabama walked off the field Saturday with a win over Texas A&M, 31-20, but one name was missing from the sideline all afternoon. As the Crimson Tide moved on to their bye week, the questions about the absence lingered. Now the head coach, Kalen DeBoer, has finally addressed the situation involving Dre Kirkpatrick Jr.

“He’s [Dre Kirkpatrick Jr.] not with us. We have an expectation and standard in our program, and the team rules, and things that go along with that,” said DeBoer on Monday, per CBS’ Mike Rodak on X. “There’s still some details that I’m trying to understand, but it’s enough to where we know that’s not how we operate.”

The news first came Saturday, before Week 8 kickoff, when an Alabama team spokesman confirmed that Kirkpatrick, a defensive back, was suspended for violating team rules. By Monday, he was still away from the team. DeBoer has not said what the violation was, how long the suspension will last, or whether Kirkpatrick has been dismissed from the team.

The coach’s words suggest he does not have the full story yet, but has enough information to act with a suspension, as he said there are still details he is working to understand.

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This is not the first time Kirkpatrick has been away from the team. He was suspended indefinitely in November 2025 after an arrest. The reported charges were three counts of reckless endangerment, one count of attempting to elude, and speeding. He missed Alabama’s final seven games of that season, including postseason play.

Kirkpatrick came back to practice in March 2026. DeBoer said at the time that Kirkpatrick had done what the program asked of him.

“He met those requirements and has a great attitude about him,” DeBoer said, according to On3’s Blake Byler.

That history makes this suspension harder to wave away, being the second time in two seasons to be kept from playing for disciplinary reasons.

On the field, his absence was felt more than his stat line would suggest. This season he played in each of Alabama’s first seven games and recorded five tackles, a pass breakup and a forced fumble. He worked mostly as a rotational defensive back, playing safety and the hybrid Husky position, and he was also a special teams contributor.

Alabama added him to the final SEC availability report shortly before the Texas A&M game and ruled him out. The timing made it worse, though.

Starting Husky Red Morgan was ejected for targeting in the second quarter, which left Alabama without both its usual starter and its backup at the position. Chuck McDonald III had to step in, and the Crimson Tide won 31-20, ending a two-game losing streak.

Kirkpatrick was one of 10 Alabama players listed as out for the game. Several of the others were injured, including Ryan Coleman-Williams, Terrance Green and Racin Delgatty, who were hurt against Georgia, and Zabien Brown and EJ Crowell, who were hurt against Tennessee. Kirkpatrick’s absence was different because it was a decision, not an injury.

Football runs in the Kirkpatrick family. Dre Kirkpatrick Sr. was a cornerback at Alabama from 2009 to 2011 and was part of two national championship teams under Nick Saban. The Cincinnati Bengals took him in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft, and he went on to play 10 seasons in the league.

His son, Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., followed him to Tuscaloosa in 2024. The younger Kirkpatrick has mostly come off the bench, working in the secondary and on special teams.

Alabama is 6-2 overall and 4-2 in the SEC heading into its bye week. In Week 10, the Crimson Tide play LSU on November 7, and the open date gives DeBoer time to sort out both the details and the secondary rotation. He has not said whether Kirkpatrick could be available against LSU.

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