Alabama’s storied football program officially turned the page Saturday, as the Tide introduced Kalen DeBoer as Nick Saban’s successor at head coach. DeBoer comes to Tuscaloosa after two years at Washington, where he amassed a 25-3 record and led the Huskies to the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship.
Even with DeBoer’s track record of success, stepping in for Saban is an unenviable task. The legendary coach, who sits right at the top of the “greatest of all time” conversation, spent 17 years winning myriad titles and re-establishing the Crimson Tide as a premier program in the SEC.
But it wasn’t a hard sell for DeBoer, who turned his eyes toward the future while discussing his motivations in taking the Alabama job.
“This was one of the few places, maybe the only place, that I would have ever left to come coach at,” DeBoer said. “Because I understand what Alabama football is all about. Those guys that I sat in front of a room yesterday, I know what they’re going through cause I saw the same thing less than 24 hours ago… I’m looking forward to the new journey that lies ahead. I’m looking forward to those new challenges here.”
Here’s what we learned from DeBoer’s introductory press conference and subsequent appearance in front of local media.
Leaning on the GOAT
Aside from Alabama’s facilities, recruiting war chest and prominent stature among college football’s elite, DeBoer has one special resource that really stands apart — his access to Saban. Saban already said that he plans to retain an office inside Alabama’s athletic complex, so DeBoer should never have much trouble for finding him.
That’s great news for DeBoer, who emphasized that Saban would have “100% access” to everything Alabama is doing under this…
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