Kalen DeBoer's message to Alabama football fans, players after loss to Tennessee

Alabama football is searching for answers and trying to stop the slide.

With every game, the Crimson Tide look less and less like the team that dominated the first half against Georgia in late September.

The most recent example: Alabama's 24-17 loss to Tennessee on Saturday at Neyland Stadium. It was the Crimson Tide's second loss in their last three games.

It's also the first time since 2007 that Alabama has lost twice before November; This was Nick Saban's first season as coach of the Crimson Tide.

In the final question of Kalen DeBoer's postgame press conference, the Alabama coach was asked what his message to fans would be. He then shared the news with players and fans.

“I told the guys that the message to them is: Come back,” DeBoer said. “Get to work. First, do some soul searching. Look within. I know there are plenty of people who still believe. We still want to do what we want to do. There is still a lot of time left for the season, not just for us but for everyone. It will go quickly if we don't take advantage of it. There has to be that urgency.”

Alabama next plays at home in its home opener against Missouri next Saturday.

“But we have to put in the work first before we play this game and find a way to take the next big leap,” DeBoer said.

He added that Alabama is currently failing to win games. DeBoer wants his group to “make sure our thoughts are right.”

“Make sure our hearts are in the right place,” DeBoer said. “And then all I know is that you just go back to work. That's the only thing you can do. We've always done that. That’s what these guys do, just having a locker room conversation, I really believe that’s what they want to do.”

This is where the message to fans appeared in his response.

“Don’t lose faith in these guys because many are making great sacrifices in ways you will never know,” DeBoer said. “People will never know because they just move on. It may be physical things and things like that, but they work hard and take a lot of pride in who they are individually and who we are as Alabama.”

And then DeBoer's press conference ended. DeBoer left the space beneath Neyland Stadium to begin preparations for next week as Alabama tries to keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive.