Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer recently shared insights about his transition from the Washington Huskies to Alabama. During his tenure at Washington, DeBoer achieved a remarkable 25-3 record over the 2022 and 2023 seasons, and in his second year, he led the team to the College Football Playoff National Championship, where they lost to the Michigan Wolverines 34-13.
Many expected DeBoer to stay at Washington for a third season until Alabama approached him after the retirement of legendary coach Nick Saban. DeBoer was hired by the Crimson Tide shortly after Saban’s retirement was announced. In a recent episode of “The Triple Option” podcast, DeBoer recounted how swiftly the hiring process occurred, starting with the end of Washington’s season and Saban’s announcement.
“It was really straightforward,” DeBoer explained. “We finished our season and flew back on Tuesday after the game, and then on Wednesday, Coach Saban announced his retirement.” He described how Alabama reached out shortly after. “Late Wednesday night, my agent informed me that Greg Byrne, the Alabama athletic director, wanted to meet, and it all happened the very next day,” he noted. “There was no prior discussion; it was just a quick invitation to meet.”
Everything unfolded rapidly, with Saban’s announcement leading to DeBoer being interviewed and offered the job within just two days. “I interviewed on Thursday, got the job offer on Friday, and accepted it that same day. By Friday night, I was already here meeting with the team,” he said.
In Week 5, No. 4 Alabama is set to host No. 2 Georgia on Saturday, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Georgia enters the game as a 1.5-point favorite.
