Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne reportedly told Alabama's stunned football players, after legendary coach Nick Saban retired Wednesday, to give him 72 hours before they made any decisions on their future.
Byrne needed less time than that to reel in Saban's replacement, hiring Washington coach Kalen DeBoer, Alabama announced Friday night after multiple reports earlier in the day broke the news.
DeBoer worked wonders in just two seasons with the Huskies, taking over a 4-8 program as an under-the-radar hire from Fresno State, and going 25-3, including a 14-0 start this past season before losing to Michigan in the national championship game Monday night.
Now, DeBoer's surging career takes him to the sport's most high-profile -- or highly-scrutinized -- program, replacing the greatest coach in modern college football history with immediate expectations to carry on what Saban built and more incredibly sustained through 17 seasons, going 201-29 with the Crimson Tide including six national championships.
And now ... Washington is forced to face an unexpected reset after one of the best seasons in program hisory.
"I have always had an incredible respect for Alabama football and its commitment to excellence," DeBoer said in a statement released by the school, per ESPN. "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."
DeBoer informed his Washington players and staff Friday afternoon that he was leaving for Alabama, sources told ESPN.
Per ESPN's Pete Thamel, Washington athletic director Troy Dannen offered to more than double DeBoer's current annual salary of $4.2 million to keep him. Washington is owed a $12 million buyout for DeBoer leaving before the end of his current contract.
Washington issued a statement from Dannen, who was just hired on Oct. 7 to replace former AD Jennifer Cohen, who left over the summer for USC.
"The last two seasons of Washington Husky Football have encapsulated all that we seek in our sports programs: competing for championships, providing a tremendous student-athlete experience and creating a lifetime of memories for our student-athletes, our university, our fans and our community. Kalen DeBoer has been an outstanding leader of our football program and what he accomplished in two seasons on Montlake will forever be a part of our storied history. We are sad to see him leave and we did all that we could to keep Kalen at UW," Dannen said.
"But ultimately, he made a decision that was in the best interests of his family and furthered his professional goals. We thank Kalen for his service to Washington and wish him, Nicole, Alexis and Avery the very best in their new endeavor. We have one of the best head coaching jobs in all of college football, with our recent success, our upcoming entry into the premier intercollegiate athletics conference, the Big Ten, our passionate supporters and fanbase, and a world-class university. Our search for a new head coach is underway and I am excited about what comes next for Husky Football."
UW President Ana Mari Cauce also issued a statement Friday: "Kalen DeBoer led a remarkable run for UW Football and showed the world that we are capable of competing at the very highest level. We are disappointed that he chose to leave, but he has left us a strong foundation to build on, both on and off the field, and we wish him the best of luck at Alabama. We'll start an immediate search for the next leader of UW Football – someone who can build on these successes as we enter the Big Ten and ensure the long-term excellence of our program."
DeBoer, who won three NAIA national championships at Sioux Falls in 2006, 2008 and 2009 before working his way up the FBS ranks as a coordinator and then head coach coach at Fresno State in 2020-21, has 104-12 career record as head coach.
According to Yahoo! Sports reporter Ross Dellenger, UW's administration has already began vetting a pool of candidates to replace DeBoer. That includes current offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb.
DeBoer was hired in late 2021 to revive a program that finished up at 4-8 under previous head coach Jimmy Lake.
The news of DeBoer's impending departure, which is expected to be finalized by the end of the day Friday, has already prompted movement among the roster.
Mississippi State QB transfer Will Rogers and Vanderbilt LB transfer Ethan Barr, who also just made the move to UW, have already re-entered the transfer portal.
Meanwhile, standout cornerback Jabbar Muhammad also promptly entered the portal, as did fellow cornerback Mishael Powell and reserve quarterback William Haskell. UW also lost a commitment from 2025 in-state linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, who just gave the program his pledge Monday.
