TUSCALOOSA, Alabama: Kalen DeBoer, the 28th head coach of the University of Alabama, was formally hired by the school to succeed Nick Saban.
DeBoer played his previous two seasons at Washington, where he finished with a 25-3 record and qualified for the 2024 National Championship Game.
“We are excited to welcome Kalen and Nicole DeBoer, and their daughters, Alexis and Avery, to The University of Alabama,” Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne said. “Coach DeBoer has shown he is a victor and has led his teams to victories at each of his trips. I recently shared with our squad that we would have a new coach who is not only an excellent teacher with the Xs and Os, but also someone who genuinely cares about his players. I personally would want my sons to play for this coach, just as I would have Coach Saban. We have Coach DeBoer for that. We anticipate seeing him oversee the Alabama Crimson Tide football program for many years to come. He is eager to get to work. We appreciate the assistance throughout this process from our leadership, which includes Chancellor Finis St. John, President Stuart Bell, and the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees.
Before the 2022 season, DeBoer assumed control of Washington, a team that had finished 4-8 the previous year. After leading the Huskies to a 14-1 record, a PAC-12 Championship, a victory in the College Football Playoff, and a trip in the National Championship Game, he was named the 2023 Associated Press, AFCA, Eddie Robinson, George Munger, Walter Camp, and Home Depot Coach of the Year this past season.
DeBoer remarked, “I have always had the utmost respect for Alabama football and its dedication to excellence.” “This program has an unrivaled tradition-rich history in collegiate athletics, and I look forward to carrying that heritage forward in the future. Following Coach Saban is an honor. He has set the bar for college football, and his accomplishments are unheard of. I would not have gone to any old school in Washington. The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to oversee the University of Alabama football program I consider myself and my family to be quite fortunate, and I am eager to settle into the Tuscaloosa community. I express my gratitude to the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees, President Stuart R. Bell, Chancellor Finis St. John, and Director of Athletics Greg Byrne for their confidence in my ability to oversee this program.
DeBoer played two seasons at Fresno State, where he went 12-6 and won the 2021 New Mexico Bowl, prior to his tenure at Washington. His alma college, Sioux Falls, was the site of his first head coaching position. In five seasons (2005–2009), he went 67–3 and won three NAIA national titles. As a head coach, DeBoer has a 104-12 record after nine seasons.
“I am thrilled to welcome Kalen DeBoer as the new leader of the Crimson Tide football program,” stated UA President Stuart R. Bell. “We are excited about the future and know Coach DeBoer will continue Alabama Athletics’ illustrious heritage and high standards of performance. I want to thank Greg Byrne, the athletic director, for his outstanding guidance during this process. We also thank the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees and Chancellor Finis St. John for their ongoing support of our wonderful university.