Kalen DeBoer Is Alabama’s New Head Coach

ESPN's Chris Low reported first on Friday afternoon that former Washington coach Kalen DeBoer will take over for Nick Saban as head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, making him the 28th head coach in Alabama history. 

The deal was done within 72 hours after Saban’s shocking retirement announcement Wednesday. 

Per si.com, DeBoer "has informed the University of Washington that he intends to leave the program and become the next head football coach at Alabama."

By Friday evening, University of Alabama officials had confirmed the news in a statement that DeBoer would be the Crimson Tide's 28th head coach. "We are excited to welcome Kalen and Nicole DeBoer, and their daughters, Alexis and Avery, to The University of Alabama. Coach DeBoer has proven he is a winner and has done an incredible job as a head coach at each of his stops. One of the things I told our team the other day is we are going to get someone who is not only a great coach with the Xs and Os, but also someone who cares about his players and someone I'd want my sons to play for, just like I would have wanted them to play for Coach Saban. We got that in Coach DeBoer. He is ready to get to work, and we look forward to him leading the Alabama Crimson Tide football program for years to come," said Director of Athletics Greg Byrne.

DeBoer, who led Washington to a Pac-12 championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff National Championship game this past season, beat out other high-profile candidates for the most coveted job in college football.

ESPN outlined DeBoer's “meteoric rise in coaching” over the past few seasons. The 49 year old, who set records as a receiver for the University of Sioux Falls, became head coach of his alma mater in 2005 where he won the NAIA championship in 2006, 2008, and 2009.

After successful runs as offensive coordinator for Southern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Fresno State, and Indiana, DeBoer was rehired by Fresno State as head coach in 2020. After two solid seasons  there he moved to Washington, where he helped put the Huskies back on the map. 

DeBoer, who has never worked in the SEC, has big shoes to fill. The South Dakota native is taking over for one of the greatest college football coaches in history, after all. And while DeBoer might not share Saban’s grumpy demeanor, he certainly has the chops.