Duck fans react to news that Washington’s Kalen DeBoer is leaving for Alabama job
On Thursday night, we wrote about how when it rains good news, sometimes it pours good news.
That observation came after the Oregon Ducks added five-star wide receiver Evan Stewart via the transfer portal. Stewart’s decision was the cherry on top of a day that will be remembered for head coach Dan Lanning publicly turned down the Alabama Crimson Tide job.
Then Friday came, and with it, the news that Washington Huskies head coach Kalen DeBoer was leaving Oregon’s biggest rival to take the Alabama job Lanning turned down. DeBoer has a staggering career record of 104-12, and he took the Huskies to the College Football Playoff national championship game in 2024, although UW lost to Michigan, 34-13.
The move leaves Washington in dire straights. It heads into the Big Ten without its incredibly accomplished head coach and its roster stacked with elite players, many of whom have declared for the 2024 NFL draft.
It’s been a week of celebration for Duck fans, going all the way back to Monday night when Oregon was celebrating Washington’s loss in the national championship game. Now, that celebration will continue through the weekend. Here are some of the reactions from social media:
The past week for Oregon Duck fans:
— Your biggest rival gets blown out in the National Championship Game.
— Your coach turns down the most prestigious job in college football to stay in Eugene.
— You add a transfer from 5-star Texas A&M WR Evan Stewart, plus 4-star UTSA CB…
— Zachary Neel (@zacharycneel) January 12, 2024
https://t.co/JEyLqBCoDG pic.twitter.com/TA1hUwItrb
— H𝐎mer (@OregonHomer) January 12, 2024
— Owen Tooelve (@owentooelve) January 12, 2024
UW's next coach will inherit a roster that just lost the majority of its playmakers to the NFL draft, with many more possibly entering the transfer portal. He'll also inherit a program that will make significantly less than its Big Ten competitors in the near future.
Good luck.
— Mike Vorel (@mikevorel) January 12, 2024
https://t.co/0xDBRF0dY0 pic.twitter.com/GfrUPUmbZG
— DuckSportsAuthority (@DSArivals) January 12, 2024
Looks like stepping stone U moved north.
— ⚡⚡Scott Reed⚡⚡ (@DSAFootball) January 12, 2024
Hall of fame tweet pic.twitter.com/KjBI5rxrSA
— Geaux Ducks (@GeauxDuck) January 12, 2024
Kalen DeBoer is leaving because he’s scared of playing Iowa
— BUM CHILLUPS AKA SPENCER HALL (@edsbs) January 12, 2024
https://t.co/5yRiFLZdNd pic.twitter.com/NeYxD7yuR5
— Spencer Paysinger (@PYSNGR) January 12, 2024
Kalen DeBoer in approximately 1 hour: pic.twitter.com/Jcrpnfvrvy
— nathan (@pnwnd) January 12, 2024
— QB11 (@Qb11Sd) January 12, 2024
let me get this straight. Washington is:
– going to a tougher conference
– making half of what everyone else is
– has less talent than half their new conference
– loses all its best players
– loses its head coachdid i miss anything?
— carlos: a pac-12 mourner 🍉 (@equitybruin) January 12, 2024
Oh, god. Is Oregon the new Texas A&M? https://t.co/ZV4dguTR60
— parker fleming (@statsowar) January 12, 2024
What's Jonathan Smith thinking about right now?
— Matt Prehm (@MattPrehm) January 12, 2024
This is where it would be a good troll to post the UW commit list and ask “who we want”. However…..
— QB11 (@Qb11Sd) January 12, 2024
Petition to send UW to the PAC-3. They don’t belong in my B1G
— Geaux Ducks (@GeauxDuck) January 12, 2024
My TL right now pic.twitter.com/1e84SaGzWe
— kwade (@KwadeSays) January 12, 2024
Just a brutal week for Washington fans. First, the game. Then, the whole offense departs. And now, the coach.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) January 12, 2024
BRB walking into the ocean https://t.co/IGyOJVOue0
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) January 12, 2024
— Geaux Ducks (@GeauxDuck) January 12, 2024
Imagine if Washington gave Kalen DeBoer a great offer which he verbally indicated he might accept, but ended up going with a safer long-term offer from a stronger conference. They couldn't even be mad, that's literally what Washington did to kill the Pac-12.
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) January 12, 2024