When Alabama football fans saw Kalen DeBoer after the Crimson Tide suffered their first loss to Vanderbilt since 1984, the first-year head coach appeared calm and collected. While this is DeBoer’s standard approach, win or lose, some would have preferred to see more emotion from the UA boss.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, DeBoer made it clear how much the loss bothered him.

“I’m extremely frustrated,” DeBoer said. “We all are. But we will not lose our temper over this. We understand what happened and a lot of what I see in the reaction, even in the dressing room – are you talking about the press conference afterwards or something like that? Because that’s really the only time you could have seen me, I guess.

“I think I see what’s already happening 30 minutes, 20 minutes after the game ends. And I saw extreme frustration. I saw people who wanted to stick together, still wanted to do something special, believed in each other and expressed that.”

DeBoer’s tonal change from Nick Saban is clear. Aside from a few on-field outbursts when he disagrees with the referees, he generally keeps his emotions under control, especially in front of reporters.

“I also did my part to help us understand what happened and how it wasn’t up to our standard and how we need to move forward,” DeBoer said. “And yes, we were all extremely frustrated. But we won’t stand idly by because I don’t think that’s the right path. There is a time and a place for everything.”

Next up for Alabama is a chance for a rebound against South Carolina at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Crimson Tide slipped to No. 7 in the nation in the poll but is not yet out of the hunt for a 12-team College Football Playoff.

DeBoer says his team is preparing for a late push.

“We’re still early in the season,” DeBoer said. “We gave ourselves a little less wiggle room to achieve some of our goals, but those goals are still out there. And we need to focus on our entire mindset, which is to get better every day. And that will never change. And to improve, I think you have to keep things in perspective and focus on the right areas, and that’s what our entire team does.”

Alabama and South Carolina are scheduled to begin Saturday at 11 a.m. CT in Tuscaloosa. The game will be broadcast on ABC.