Alabama announces Kalen DeBoer as next head coach, Nick Saban's successor
Alabama has made it official. Kalen DeBoer will be the Crimson Tide’s next head coach — and the successor to Nick Saban, the program announced.
DeBoer is coming off an impressive two-year stretch at Washington after taking over for Jimmy Lake. He found immediate success, taking the Huskies to a 10-2 record in his first season in 2022 as part of an impressive turnaround from a 4-8 mark in 2021. Then, he took the program to college football’s biggest stage, leading UW to the national championship against Michigan.
Two days after that game, Saban announced he was retiring from coaching after a legendary career as he became arguably the greatest of all time. Although Greg Byrne’s goal was 72 hours to make a hire, it only took him 48.
“We are excited to welcome Kalen and Nicole DeBoer, and their daughters, Alexis and Avery, to The University of Alabama,” Byrne said in a statement. “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. We are grateful to our leadership in President Stuart Bell, Chancellor Finis St. John and The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees for their support during this process.”
Inside Kalen DeBoer’s resume, tall task he’s facing as he replaces Nick Saban
DeBoer’s resume is impressive. Over his nine years as a head coach — four at NAIA Sioux Falls from 2005-09, two at Fresno State from 2020-21 and two at Washington from 2022-23 — he has a 104-12 career record. That includes a 25-3 record with the Huskies, and he took the program to its first-ever national championship game, where they fell to Michigan Monday night in Houston.
DeBoer is also known as an impressive offensive mind, spending most of his career as an offensive coordinator before becoming a head coach. Now, he’s gearing up to replace Saban — which he noted in his statement.
“I have always had an incredible respect for Alabama football and its commitment to excellence,” DeBoer said. “The tradition-rich history of this program is unmatched across the landscape of college athletics, and I look forward to continuing that moving forward. Following Coach Saban is an honor. He has been the standard for college football, and his success is unprecedented. I would not have left Washington for just any school. The chance to lead the football program at The University of Alabama is the opportunity of a lifetime.
“My family and I feel truly blessed and look forward to becoming a part of the Tuscaloosa community. I want to thank Director of Athletics Greg Byrne, President Stuart R. Bell, Chancellor Finis St. John and The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees for their belief in me to lead this program.”
Saban spent 17 years at Alabama, leading the Crimson Tide to six national championships and winning 201 games during that time. In addition to his trophies, he developed an extensive coaching tree, featuring plenty of big-name coaches such as Texas’ Steve Sarkisian and Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin, among many others.