"Just being really sensitive": When Kalen DeBoer opened up on the challenges of being an outsider at Alabama

It was an unfamiliar environment for Kalen DeBoer when he took the Alabama coaching job in January 2024. The then-Washington coach had no playing or coaching history in Tuscaloosa before being hired to replace the retired Nick Saban, facing some challenges as an "outsider" in the program.

In most cases in college football, coaches who built dynasties across the landscape are replaced by someone within the program. Notable examples are Ryan Day coming in for Urban Meyer at Ohio State, Lincoln Riley replacing Bob Stoops at Oklahoma and Sherrone Moore taking over from Jim Harbaugh at Michigan.

However, Kalen DeBoer's situation at Alabama is a rare one. In a one-on-one interview with Joel Klatt in July, the former Huskies coach was asked what the challenge of being an "outsider" looks like at Alabama, and he had a thoughtful response to it.

“For me, going back to Fresno State was easy because I understood the traditions and had seen it for two years under Coach Jeff Tedford there,” DeBoer said (Timestamp 21:00). “But Washington was different. That was a new area, new territory, really hadn't spent much time in Seattle.

“So embracing everything that the program was about is very similar to here, embracing it and knowing that I'm a proud alum of my University of Sioux Falls. And when you go back there, you want to be greeted, you want that to be home.

“And just having a sensitivity, I think, to all the greats that have been here and the passion that this program has with its fan base. It's just being really sensitive to that.”

Kalen DeBoer reiterates his openness to learning about Alabama

While he was hired as an outsider, Kalen DeBoer came in intending to learn more about Alabama and its history. The coach disclosed to Joel Klatt the notable moves he had made to ensure he could synchronize well with the environment.

“The biggest thing is you just don't know what you don't know sometimes,” DeBoer said (Timestamp 21:58). “You don't know that tradition that existed and where it came from and how long it's been going on.

“And so I'm still learning today, but I've asked a lot of questions, and really, when I get a chance to be around an alum from the different eras, just really listening to what they have to say, writing things down, and trying to keep that alive, embracing that while you still do what you've done.”

Kalen DeBoer had a warm welcome at Alabama despite being an outsider. It was clear that he was taking over the toughest job in college football following the success of Nick Saban with the school. Nonetheless, his exploits at Washington gave many fans some confidence in him to lead the program.