How has recruitment been for Kalen DeBoer’s first month in Alabama? Preps crew finds out

January not only brought in a new year, but a new era of football in the state of Alabama.

University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban announced his retirement in January after arriving in Alabama in 2007. Kalen DeBoer was announced as the next head coach after a stint with the Washington Huskies.

Our prep writers Anna Snyder, Maxwell Donaldson and Jerry Humphrey III took a deep dive into coach DeBoer’s first month as the head coach of Alabama and the impact he has had on the Alabama high school recruiting scene.

DeBoer makes statewide first impression

DeBoer took time out of his hectic first month on the job to go to Montgomery to speak at the Alabama football coaches convention. In an announcement on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, the AFLCA said DeBoer was taking the spot Saban was to scheduled to speak in. It was an excellent opportunity to make a first impression with most of the high school coaches in the state, especially as DeBoer was juggling all those first month tasks.

One of the coaches in attendance, Gadsden City head coach Ali Smith, who spoke later in the event, said DeBoer showed the coaches in attendance a solid vision for where the Alabama football program can go, but thinks everyone needs to give him some time to get settled.

"We all have to give everybody the opportunity to come in and get his feet on the ground and go from there. It seems he has a great foundational program to guide. I would imagine he's going do an excellent job. It seems like he understands what he really wants, most coaches when they have what they want they have that vision of what they want in their program, I think they're going to be successful," Smith said.

Locking down Central-Phenix City

DeBoer and his staff made their way around the Montgomery-area visiting some of the top programs in the River Region. Reigning Class 7A State Champions Central-Phenix City wide receivers coach Arnaz Browder said members of DeBoer’s staff reached out to head coach Patrick Nix straight away.

“Alabama’s wide receivers coach reached out to coach Nix early and came to our school to speak to a few of our players,” Browder said. “One of our upcoming senior wide receivers Daylyn Upshaw has heavy interest from them.”

Two players from Central-Phenix City will suit up for DeBoer this fall in four-star safety Rydarrius Morgan and three-star defensive lineman Isaia Faga. Browder called them leaders and said they planned on keeping their commitments to Alabama despite the coaching change.

”They are going to be two key players who are going to get a great amount of playing time,” Browder said. “I don’t see why they would leave because with players in and out it’s free game right now. I know these guys are leaders and all they need is an opportunity.”

Landing Ryan Williams and first recruiting class

For some big time recruits, such as Ryan Williams, DeBoer's pursuit started almost immediately after he was named Alabama football's newest coach. Williams, who is tabbed as the No. 2 prospect in Alabama in the 2024 class by the 247Sports Composite, had been committed to Alabama since October 2022. But in the wake of Saban's retirement, Williams retracted his commitment to the Crimson Tide.

Williams' decommittment did not stray DeBoer, as a member of his staff was in contact with Williams' coach at Saraland High School, Jeff Kelly, the night he was named Alabama's head coach. It only took a day or two for DeBoer himself to reach out to Williams and Kelly.

"They really made it very important, early part of his first few days, a priority to reach out to Ryan and to me," Kelly said, "and to kind of introduce himself and who he is and who he wants to be as a coach, and the plans he would have for Ryan and what they do offensively."

This pursuit by DeBoer worked, as Williams recommitted to the Crimson Tide on Jan. 24 and signed his national letter of intent to play at Alabama on Feb. 7.

Here is a list of Alabama Football signees in the 2024 recruiting class:

Recruiting impact coming from out of state

DeBoer’s coaching expertise comes from the West Coast after serving as a coach in the PAC-12 conference. Coming into a new power five conference comes with new recruiting territory, and the state of Alabama is competitive territory.

Pike Road head coach Granger Shook compared it to Nick Saban coming in with no connection to the state of Alabama.

”I expect for coach DeBoer to win. He’s won everywhere he’s coached at,” Shook said. “Coach Saban wasn’t from Alabama and never coached in this state but he was a winner. As long as the players and fans give him a chance I think they are going to like what they see.”

Saraland’s Kelly explained how it starts with building relationships. He has the confidence DeBoer will flourish in this state with recruiting.

"Coming from a different part of the nation, you got to build relationships in recruiting," Kelly said. "I know he's got some people on staff there that have great ties to the south. I think as he gets to know the coaches and players down in this area, he's going to continue to do great things.

"Obviously, it's a new place, probably people would say it's a tough place to coach and maybe a tough act to follow, but in the couple weeks and couple times I have met him, coach DeBoer is perfectly confident in who he is as a coach ... I think he's got the ability to really, especially offensively, make Alabama football really exciting and fun to watch."

Class 4A state champion Montgomery Catholic head coach Kirk Johnson added DeBoer better adjust fast to the southern recruiting landscape.

“The South is different,” Johnson said. “I think him having such a great staff around him who knows the way of the land will be pivotal for him landing some of these big recruits. He got one in Ryan Williams, so he’s already doing it at the highest level.”

With the recruiting cycle in a dead period it will give Deboer and his staff time to make those important relationships with high school coaches around the state, which is sometimes the start of the recruiting process.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Kalen DeBoer’s in-state recruiting impact in first month as head coach