Kalen DeBoer hired to replace Nick Saban as Alabama football coach

Alabama football has its coach to replace Nick Saban.

Washington coach Kalen DeBoer has agreed to become the next Alabama coach, a source with direct knowledge has confirmed to The Tuscaloosa News. He fills the opening created after Saban announced his retirement on Wednesday.

Details for his contract are not yet known. He made $4.2 million this season at Washington, and he will owe Washington a $12 million buyout.

DeBoer, 49, has coached Washington the past two seasons, leading the Huskies to a 25-3 record and an appearance in the CFP national championship game this week. That was the only game Washington lost in the 2023 season.

DeBoer has won everywhere he's been. Before Washington, he coached two seasons at Fresno State and five seasons at the University of Sioux Falls, an NAIA school where DeBoer went 67-3. At Washington and Fresno State, DeBoer has an overall record of 37-9, including wins over Oregon three times, Texas twice and USC.

His previous roles include offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Indiana, Fresno State and Eastern Michigan. He began as a receivers coach at Sioux Falls in 1997.

DeBoer has the colossal task of replacing a seven-time national championship coach. Saban won six of those titles at Alabama over 17 seasons, to go with 10 SEC West titles and nine SEC Championships.

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The search that led to Kalen DeBoer

Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne had to begin his search Wednesday after Saban decided to retire. Names that emerged by Thursday night included DeBoer, Florida State's Mike Norvell and Alabama offensive coordinator Tommy Rees. Texas' Steve Sarkisian was also thought to be a name to watch.

Norvell and Sarkisian each confirmed commitments to their schools on social media.

There was no such confirmation from DeBoer, though. Instead, he decided to become Alabama's next coach.

Kalen DeBoer had fast success at Washington

DeBoer took over a Washington team that finished 4-8 in 2021 under Jimmy Lake. He went 11-2 in 2022 and became the first Washington coach to win a bowl game in his rookie season. He had a 3-0 record vs. ranked teams and beat Sarkisian and Texas in the Alamo Bowl. The Huskies tied for second in the Pac-12.

Then in 2023, Washington finished 14-1, an effort that resulted in him winning Pac-12 coach of the year for the second consecutive season; he was co-coach of the year in 2022. Washington's only loss was to Michigan in the College Football Playoff final. The Huskies beat Oregon twice, Utah, Oregon State and USC – all ranked at the time – en route to the Sugar Bowl, where they beat No. 3 Texas in the CFP semifinals.

Kalen DeBoer's awards

DeBoer was named AP coach of the year this season, beating out Norvell, Missouri' coach's Eli Drinkwitz and Arizona's Jedd Fisch.

His other accolades include NAIA coach of the year three times, AFCA coach of the year (2023), Eddie Robinson coach of the year (2023), Home Depot coach of the year (2023), Sporting News coach of the year (2023) and Walter Camp coach of the year (2023).

Kalen DeBoer's playing career

DeBoer, a native of Milbank, South Dakota, attended Sioux Falls and played football and baseball. He was a wide receiver who tallied 3,400 yards on 234 receptions and 33 touchdowns. He was also a member of a NAIA Division II national championship team.

He was a successful baseball player, too. DeBoer batted .520, still a school record, during his senior year in 1998. He hit 37 home runs over his collegiate baseball career with a .944 slugging percentage.

Kalen DeBoer's offenses at Indiana, Fresno State, Eastern Michigan

When he was the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach for the Hoosiers in 2019, Indiana finished No. 42 in the nation in scoring offense. The Hoosiers averaged 302.4 yards per game passing and 130.8 yards rushing.

At Fresno State, DeBoer coordinated the nation's No. 28 offense in points per game with 34.6 in 2018, an improvement from 27.1 points per game in his first season (No. 77).

While at Eastern Michigan, DeBoer's offenses finished No. 61 (2016), No. 91 (2015) and No. 126 (2014).

It's clear he improves each of the groups he has coached as an offensive coordinator.

Kalen DeBoer has won national championships

DeBoer led Sioux Falls to three NAIA championships in his five seasons. Those wins came in 2006, 2008 and 2009. He also led his team to a runner-up finish in 2007.

Of course, that's a long ways from winning College Football Playoff national championships, but it's a good sign DeBoer knows how to win in big games.

Long ago, Kalen DeBoer was a high school coach

DeBoer has risen to the top of his profession, but once upon a time, he was coaching high school football.

In the second coaching job of his career, DeBoer became an assistant coach at Washington High School in South Dakota. He was there from 1988-89.

Kalen DeBoer's personal life

DeBoer has a wife, Nicole, and two daughters, Alexis and Avery. Alexis DeBoer is a top softball prospect who is currently signed to play for Washington. She was ranked No. 11 in the 2024 recruiting class by Extra Innings Softball.

Nick Kelly is the Alabama beat writer for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network, and he covers Alabama football and men's basketball. Reach him at nkelly@gannett.com or follow him @_NickKelly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Kalen DeBoer hired as Alabama football coach, replaces Nick Saban