The Alabama Crimson Tide have been trying to find a replacement for the legendary coach Nick Saban, who has been leading the program since the 2007 season. It seems like they have found their man as ESPN is reporting that the two sides are negotiating on a deal to name Washington Huskies coach Kalen DeBoer the new coach for the program.
This would be interesting as he has emerged as the top candidate as multiple coaches including Oregon’s Dan Lanning, Texas’ Steve Sarkisian and Florida State’s Mike Norvell all withdrew from consideration. While the details surrounding the contract have not been disclosed as of this writing, this would be a major addition.
Kalen DeBoer led the Washington Huskies to win the Pac-12 Conference Championship and lost in the 2024 National Championship Game to the Michigan Wolverines. DeBoer also has a $12 million buyout and in November signed a two-year extension with the program through the 2028 season.
What has Kalen DeBoer done before becoming the coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide?
Kalen DeBoer is not new to being a coach but will have a lot of pressure to replicate what Nick Saban has done with the Alabama Crimson Tide. He has been the head coach at Fresno State from 2020-21 before signing on with the Washington Huskies in 2022. His only other head coaching experience was from 2005-2009 as he led Sioux Falls.
As a coach, he has won three NAIA Championships, four GPAC Championships and the final Pac-12 Conference Championship. With an all-time record of 104-12, including 2-1 in bowl games, he has shown the ability to coach well but has not done it at a high level. This is a chance for the Alabama Crimson Tide to establish themselves as still a contender in the SEC as DeBoer is 49 years old and could coach for another two decades if he so chooses.
It was not the splashy hire like Lane Kiffin or Dabo Swinney but it could just wind up being the correct one.
For more of my content, make sure to follow me on Twitter @TalkVinTalk. I am also part of Fantasy Sports Heroics, where we are doing daily content on YouTube, discussing fantasy and betting that you can watch by clicking here.
