Coach Kalen DeBoer thinks it's a "little crazy" to be taking over Nick Saban's Alabama
Coach Nick Saban spent 17 long years at Alabama and finished off his last season with an impressive 12-2 record in 2023, coming close to bagging yet another college football national championship.
However, owing to a disappointing 27-20 score against Jim Harbaugh's Michigan Wolverines, the Crimson Tide finished in the No. 2 spot.
After securing six national championships, nine SEC titles and various other achievements during his tenure at Alabama, Nick Saban decided to hang up his boots and announced his retirement on Jan. 11, 2024.
Soon after the announcement, Kalen DeBoer, who has an overall record of 104-12, was announced to be the next head coach in Tuscaloosa.
In a conversation with college football analyst Joel Klatt, DeBoer spoke about whether he ever thought he'd be filling up Saban's shoes at Alabama:
"You know that obviously things worked out in a special way, but I'd also know that anything is possible, and it really wouldn't have been about reaching that goal," DeBoer said. "If you'd have told me, 'If you do this, this and this, it had been just about pouring everything into the moments you're in at that time'. So yeah, I'd have been a little bit crazy if you'd have said that.
"But I also know that anything's possible, and I learned that way back being at the University of Falls, where a place like that really had no business, at one point, winning national championships, even at the small college level. And doing that, and happening over and over again, there. And so, anything's possible," he added.
"You know, I'm just, you know, I am very blessed to certainly be in this spot, and a lot of great things have fallen to place I've been around a lot of great people."
Where is Nick Saban now?
Following the end of his 28-season run as a college football coach, Nick Saban is now spending his time doing things that he didn't get time to do before, while also being part of the college football world as much as possible.
Coach Saban is seen spending a lot of time with his family, including his wife, Miss Terry, daughter Kristen Saban and grandson James.
The former Alabama coach was also seen taking part in an exciting corn hole tourney during the 4th of July celebrations.
Fans were also thrilled to see Nick Saban's appearance at the 2024 NFL draft and the SEC Media Days.
The college football world will be interested in hearing more of Nick Saban's insights as he takes the stage during the 2024 season as an analyst on ESPN College Gameday.