Kalen DeBoer finished his second season with Washington this past Monday with a loss to Michigan in the college football playoff. And his roller-coaster of a year might be just starting, thanks to Nick Saban retiring.
Throughout the entire 2023 season, casual college football fans might’ve heard Kalen DeBoer’s name a time or two. Leading the charge for the Washington Huskies, DeBoer found his path to the national championship this season, navigating through the tough Pac-12 conference with Michael Penix Jr. lighting up scoreboards.
Now, his hard work and persistent work ethic could possibly lead him to taking over for one of the greatest coaches in college football history in Nick Saban.
According to sources, Kalen DeBoer has emerged as one of the leading candidates to replace Nick Saban. It certainly helps that super-agent Jimmy Sexton is representing DeBoer in this process, along with a new contract that is reportedly on his desk in Washington.
How Would Kalen DeBoer Fit In At Alabama? His Own Way
Hiring DeBoer would certainly send a message to folks outside Tuscaloosa that Alabama is not worried about ties to the southeast. The Washington head coach has built his impressive résumé starting from the lower ranks, winning three national titles at Sioux Falls, which is an NAIA school.
But it was his work at Fresno State that put him on a trajectory to coach at the Power-5 level. After being hired by the Bulldogs, he led them to a 9-3 record in 2021, which caught the eye of those in Washington, who hired him in November of that same year.
No stranger to success, DeBoer led the Huskies to an 11-2 record in his first season at the helm. Then, it was the 13-1 season that ended with a loss to Michigan in the national championship game this past Monday. It was clear that the Washington locker room bought into the culture DeBoer had implemented, finishing the final chapter of the Pac-12 as champions.
There’s no denying that Kalen DeBoer can build a program, given that he’s done it at every head coaching stop in his career. Bur obviously Alabama is a different animal, and maybe someone like DeBoer is exactly what the ‘Tide could use.
Hiring DeBoer Would Be Another Splashy Hire At Alabama
Athletic director Greg Byrne made a splash on the basketball court when he hired Nate Oats, and it has certainly paid-off for Alabama. But having to replace a legend like Nick Saban will come with some type of backlash, no matter who he hires. Given that this could be seen as a ‘maverick’ type of a move, DeBoer would undoubtedly win over the players, if they afford him the chance.
His track-record on offense is just what this Alabama offense could benefit from, with success at Indiana as the offensive coordinator in 2019. Most importantly, Kalen DeBoer has a reputation of finding players for his system that could work with what Alabama has returning in 2024 and beyond.
If you’re an Alabama fan and are worried about recruiting, that’s what a huge salary pool is for, and DeBoer could attract some of the top assistants in the country. Sure, he doesn’t have the southern ties that are talked about within every coaching search involving an SEC school, but that shouldn’t matter in this case.
Nick Saban left Alabama with a national brand to build off of, so the players will be there. Even with Kirby Smart still dominating the conference, there’s room for Kalen DeBoer to build the Bama program his way, without falling off the ladder of national relevancy. Not having ties to the south didn’t prevent LSU from hiring Brian Kelly, who had success at Notre Dame before making the trek south to Baton Rouge.
So, as we look towards the future of Alabama football, maybe going outside the perceived southern box would be a good thing for a program trying to find its way in very new waters.