Kalen DeBoer reflects on surprising rise from small colleges to Alabama HC: "I would have been really surprised"
Kalen DeBoer appeared on Joel Klatt's "Big Noon Conversations" to talk about his job switch and about how he never expected himself to be the head coach of a historic program like the Alabama Crimson Tide.
DeBoer's career path to becoming the Alabama head coach was a long and winding one. He stated he never imagined taking over the Crimson Tide program.
“I would have been really surprised, you know, that things obviously worked out to in a special way. But I’d also know that anything is possible,” said DeBoer. “So, yeah, it would have been a little bit crazy if you’d have said that. But I also know that anything is possible.” (0:36)
His first head coaching role came when he was at South Dakota. From Sioux Falls he went to Southern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, and then Fresno State. Then he moved to the Power Five, starting at Indiana and most notably, Washington.
“I learned that way back being at the University of Sioux Falls where a place like that really had no business at one point winning national championships, even at the small college level – doing that, it happening over and over and over again there.” (1:02)
Kalen DeBoer gets candid on filling Nick Saban's shoes
After Nick Saban retired from the post of head coach of the Crimson Tide, DeBoer was appointed the successor. Many fans and analysts believed that he was the perfect choice for the position and could do an impressive job at replacing the former seven-time national championship winner.
DeBoer talked about the expectations fans had for him, filling up Saban's shoes and the various advice he received from people.
He said:
"Those particular people know me, and so they understood it really wasn't about that. But yeah, I've heard that. I mean, not a hundred times. I've heard that a thousand times, which I get.
I mean, I get where it comes from. you really never make it about that. you do. your skin, full circle. When I said earlier, you make it about these players that when you pour into."
Crimson Tide QB Jalen Milroe has spoken about how DeBoer brought many changes to the team's culture while also maintaining traditions from Nick Saban's time.
Although nobody could have guessed that Kalen DeBoer would be leading Alabama's football team, he is glad to be at the helm.