Alabama first-year football coach Kalen DeBoer is putting his own fingerprints on the program in the wake of Nick Saban stepping away in retirement. There is no manuscript on following a legend, especially with the Crimson Tide where Saban’s routine for nearly two decades resulted in six national championships, a bevy of SEC titles and proven results in player development.

Alabama veteran offensive lineman Tyler Booker said the players instructed their new leader to be who he is and not model after someone else.

The thing we all told coach DeBoer is, ‘Don’t come in here and try to be Nick Saban. Be you.’ Because (DeBoer has) been successful everywhere he’s been,” Booker said as Alabama opened spring practice, via The Tuscaloosa News, “and it’s up to us to come together and adapt to his culture, and him (to) adapt to our culture as well, so we can become one.

One item that DeBoer is not planning to alter is Alabama’s “fourth quarter” conditioning plan. It was a right of passage of sorts in Tuscaloosa under the previous regime.

The fourth quarter is a staple of this program and it’s a rite of passage for all the older guys,” Booker said. “I met Najee Harris at the Super Bowl. He said ‘Are y’all still doing fourth quarter?’ I said ‘Of course.’ So being able to have that in common with former Bama players is huge.

Alabama’s “relentless” mentality in recruiting will not be altered and DeBoer gave that reminder a few days after getting the job. He won consecutive Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors at Washington and has won 25 of his last 28 college football games, so a primary focus on winning isn’t going anywhere.

Recruiting at an elite level is a different animal in the SEC where many of the nation’s top programs in talent acquisition reside.

“It’s what it is going to take to be the best of the best here with tough competition here in the SEC and to win a national championship. I’m looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and going to work,” DeBoer said in January, via Bama247.

DeBoer has said several times on the record that Saban has “100% access to everything” and he welcomes daily advice from the seven-time national champion. Truthfully, he would be crazy not to considering Saban has made himself available and plans to hang around in some capacity.

Saban’s finale season was one of his most impressive as a coach after taking the Crimson Tide on a whirlwind 11-consecutive wins — including a victory over unbeaten Georgia in the SEC final — to reach the playoff. Now that someone else is calling the shots, Saban can pick and choose when to share his input.