If you’re frustrated with how the 2024 season went for Alabama football, you’re not alone.

Plenty of players and staff members have expressed similar sentiments. And they’re making sure 2025 isn’t a repeat of 2024, a season in which Alabama lost four games and missed the expanded College Football Playoff.

“There is confrontation that has to happen,” said David Ballou, Alabama’s director of sports performance. “There’s things that have to be said and there are truths that have to be said. Coming off last season, which was unacceptable, there was a lot of truths that had to be said with these guys.”

Ballou was among those interviewed for the “All In” special on Alabama football spring practice that premiered Monday on SEC Network. He said that an important point of emphasis this offseason has been accountability to the standard built with Alabama in prior seasons. Ballou worked under Nick Saban before staying on the staff with new coach Kalen DeBoer.

“We know that was not the standard of Alabama and how they play football here,” receiver Germie Bernard said of 2024. “Coming into this year, it’s like man everybody has to grow up and mature. Everybody is going to have an important role on this team.”

Ryan Williams, who originally committed to Saban then re-committed to DeBoer, said the new culture had an uphill battle.

“When coach DeBoer first got here, it was kind of a culture shock,” Williams said. “Just listening to the other guys. Some people weren’t bought into coach DeBoer yet. Now that we’re in year 2, basically everyone that’s here, they’re bought into coach DeBoer and the rest of the coaching staff and everything we do.”

General manager Courtney Morgan, who came over from Washington with DeBoer, said the players now understand what’s expected of them.

“I think the No. 1 word you can use is trust,” Morgan said. “I think there’s more trust in the building between the coaches and the players because we’ve been together for a year.”

Morgan also said the players understand what’s expected of them.

“You have a new coach taking over for an old coach, the expectations can get lost a little bit,” Morgan said. “There’s always a little stubbornness.”

Linebacker Justin Jefferson, who also played for Saban, said everybody is buying into the coaches.

“Especially after losing four games, you’ve got to buy into something,” Jefferson said. “Can’t do that again. Can’t do that again. I really feel like it’s a lot of buzz, a lot of anticipation, a lot of excitement for what’s coming. Really anxious to get to work.”

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for Follow him on X and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.