On Friday evening, the University of Alabama made the hiring of its new head football coach Kalen DeBoer official.
DeBoer will be the successor to the greatest college football coach of all time, a tough task that DeBoer labeled as an "honor" in a statement released by the former Washington head coach.
“I have always had an incredible respect for Alabama football and its commitment to excellence," said DeBoer. “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," he added. "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 continued, “I want to thank Director of Athletics Greg Byrne, President Stuart R. Bell, Chancellor Finis St. John and The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees for their belief in me to lead this program.”
DeBoer boasts an impressive record of 104 wins and 12 losses during his nine seasons as a head coach. Notably, he achieved a remarkable 25-3 record at Washington over the past two years. In the previous season, DeBoer led the Huskies to a stellar 14-1 record, securing the Pac-12 title and the Sugar Bowl victory, ultimately advancing to the national championship game.
DeBoer has the accolades that qualify him for the job and now has Nick Saban's approval.
"I want nothing more than to see Alabama football continue to be successful, and Coach DeBoer is an outstanding choice to lead this program," Saban said in a statement. “He has a proven track record of success and is one of the brightest football minds. Coach DeBoer has an excellent understanding of what it takes to be a successful head coach, whether it's coaching, recruiting, developing players or building a culture.”
"He has done a fantastic job at every stop of his coaching career, and I am excited to see what he will be able to accomplish in Tuscaloosa," he continued. "Terry and I will be here to support Coach DeBoer and his family with everything they need."
Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne also gave DeBoer high praise.
“Coach DeBoer has proven he is a winner and has done an incredible job as a head coach at each of his stops,” Byrne’s statement read. "One of the things I told our team the other day is we are going to get someone who is not only a great coach with the Xs and Os, but also someone who cares about his players and someone I’d want my sons to play for, just like I would have wanted them to play for Coach Saban. We got that in Coach DeBoer. He is ready to get to work, and we look forward to him leading the Alabama Crimson Tide football program for years to come.
DeBoer will be introduced at a 1 p.m. news conference on Saturday in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
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