Alabama football didn’t have much trouble with FCS Mercer.

The Crimson Tide allowed a touchdown, but that was about the only stumble in a 52-7 rout of the Bears on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Coach Kalen DeBoer now has eight wins in his first season with the Crimson Tide (8-2), which is the most for a coach in his first season at Alabama since Ray Perkins in 1983.

After the victory, DeBoer held his postgame press conference.

Kalen DeBoer press conference: Postgame after Mercer

— “Liked that we got three more takeaways. I think there’s a mindset for our defense … We’re hunting the ball.”

— “For the most part, taking care of the football, and getting the takeaways, that’s where it all starts.”

— DeBoer thought the team had a good demeanor about it in prep for the Mercer game.

— DeBoer on Robbie Ouzts: He’s a Swiss army knife out there for us. “He’s got a mindset, a toughness about him.”

— DeBoer highlighted Ty Simpson’s rushing ability against Mercer.

— DeBoer was proud of the way the backup quarterbacks handled everything in running the offense.

— DeBoer on the non-offensive touchdown from Zabien Brown: “For us to get him in the end zone with that long return, it’s something that’s exciting for the whole team.”

— DeBoer on the first-team defense playing a little longer than the first-team offense. “There’s a lot of guys rotating in on defense to begin with … There’s less experience when you put the 2s out there.”

— DeBoer on the focus and intensity in the week: ” As we get to the latter half of the season, have really honed in on more and more leaders stepping up … There’s a business-like approach.”

— DeBoer on Jihaad Campbell’s intensity he brings to defense: “That’s a great example of you don’t have to have the C to be a leader. He’s been a leader for us ever since I can remember … He can run, it starts there. The more and more he plays ball, executes the plays, understands our defense and how it matches up with what he’s seeing … He’s feeling it. There’s confidence he has you can see coming out in playmaking ability.”

— “Jaeden (Roberts) could have been out there and played for us,” but DeBoer wanted to get Geno VanDeMark some work at right guard. Roberts was dinged up in the LSU game.

— “Nothing goes to his head. He’s about the team,” DeBoer said about Ryan Williams. “A joy to be around.” … “There’s a maturity about him that’s well beyond his years. I think we know how old he is.”

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