After longtime Alabama head coach Nick Saban announced his retirement last week, many wondered who would be the next head coach of Alabama. Would it be a previous assistant coach of Saban’s? Or would it be a lesser known head coach succeeding at a smaller program? The hire turned out to be very unexpected.
Last week, former Washington Huskies head coach Kalen DeBoer was announced as the new head coach of Alabama. DeBoer had just taken the Huskies to their first National Championship since 1991 where they were defeated by Michigan 34-13. DeBoer’s success at both Washington and Fresno State made him an enticing candidate for a program that has a long history of success like the Crimson Tide.
DeBoer’s track record is unique to those of other head coaches in the SEC. His first head coaching job came at Fresno State, where he finished 3-3 in the shortened 2020 season. In his one and only full season with the program, he led Fresno State to a 9-3 record and defeated UTEP 31-24 in the New Mexico Bowl.
Following his success there, DeBoer was hired by the University of Washington to be their head coach. In his first season there, the team went 10-2 in the regular season and defeated Texas 27-20 in the Alamo Bowl. Last season, DeBoer was able to win the Pac-12 Championship, putting them in the playoffs where they ended up making the National Championship.
While DeBoer posts an impressive track record, the SEC is a very different conference compared to the Pac-12 or the Mountain West Conference. Expectations are higher. Recruiting becomes more important. If DeBoer cannot put together a strong recruiting class, there will be pressure on him before the Crimson Tide play their first game.
Thankfully for DeBoer, his coaching staff will come with some familiar faces. Washington offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard, and director of scouting Jerret McElwain will all join DeBoer at Alabama. Defensive line coach Freddie Roach and running backs coach Robert Gillespie, two of Saban’s assistants, will be retained.
The expectations will be high around Tuscaloosa with DeBoer’s hiring. In what was seen as a down year for the Crimson Tide last season, they were still able to make the College Football Playoff and take the National Champion Michigan Wolverines to overtime. As a result, the bare minimum should be to win the SEC. With solid programs such as Georgia, Oklahoma, and LSU on next year’s schedule, it will not be an easy task. However, one could argue that DeBoer is the perfect coach to continue the legacy of the Alabama Crimson Tide.
