Washington’s Kalen DeBoer, who took the Huskies from sub-.500 to contending for the CFP National Championship in just two seasons as head coach, has agreed to become the next head football coach at the University of Alabama, reported ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Friday.
Nick Saban has coached the Crimson Tide since 2007, winning six national championships and producing 44 first round NFL Draft selections. He announced his retirement following Alabama’s 27-20 loss to Michigan in the Rose Bowl, and many names emerged as his possible replacement, including Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin, Texas’ Steve Sarkisian, Oregon’s Dan Lanning and Florida State’s Mike Norvell.
DeBoer started his head coaching career at Sioux Falls before transitioning to smaller roles at Southern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Fresno State and Indiana over the span of a decade. In 2020, he got back into head coaching, accepting the job at Fresno State.
Inheriting a lackluster team amidst the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t easy, but DeBoer rapidly improved the Bulldogs to be a winning squad. In 2021, Fresno State went 10-3 and won its first bowl game since 2018. DeBoer’s success at Fresno State attracted the attention of Power 5 teams, and in 2022, DeBoer became the Washington Huskies’ next head coach.
DeBoer instantly turned Washington into an elite team, following a disappointing 4-8 season the year prior. In 2022, DeBoer led the Huskies to a stout 11-2 record and a Valero Alamo Bowl win over Texas.
In 2023, the Huskies took the college football world by storm, going undefeated before falling short to Michigan in the National Championship game. DeBoer took home the Associated Press College Football Coach of the Year award, once again displaying his resilience at the helm of such an elite team. Now, his focus shifts to the Crimson Tide, a team that has had plenty of buzz surrounding the transfer portal since the season’s end.
While both Kiffin and Sarkisian have had stints at Alabama and have experience within Saban’s system, DeBoer’s long-lasting success embodies the Crimson Tide’s long standing culture of winning at all costs. DeBoer may not have NFL coaching experience or a lengthy head coaching resume like some other candidates, but he’s proven that his intelligence on the sidelines can produce wins immediately.
Nonetheless, Saban’s shoes are big ones to fill. At 72 years old, Saban has seen it all, and while his retirement marks the end of a dominant era for Alabama football, it also is the start of something new and refreshing for the Tide.
Sophomore wide receiver Isaiah Bond, who etched his name in Bama football history with a last-minute 4th-and-31 touchdown to defeat Auburn in this year’s Iron Bowl, was the first Alabama player to enter the portal following Saban’s retirement. Without any commitment decision from Bond yet, it is possible that he could stay in Tuscaloosa following the news of DeBoer’s hire. Bond had the second-most receiving yards for the Crimson Tide in 2023 with 668.
Numerous other impact players for the Tide have entered their names into the transfer portal, including Alabama’s second-leading rusher, senior running back Roydell Williams, as well as senior star offensive lineman Seth McLaughlin, who has committed to Ohio State.
As for Washington, star junior cornerback Jabbar Muhammad, who is coming off of a breakout season for the Huskies, entered the portal soon after news broke of DeBoer’s hire. This would be a huge addition to the Alabama defense especially considering the departure of one of the nation’s top corners, Kool-Aid McKinstry, for the NFL Draft. However, there is speculation that Muhammad would want to join his cousin, Malik Muhammad, at Texas.
While Saban’s retirement briefly saw the Crimson Tide in a coachless, declining position, the hiring of DeBoer should breathe new life into Alabama football, especially on offense.