Alabama’s new $100M man Kalen DeBoer spills beans on his coaching philosophy in the post-Nick Saban era: "Our offense will be quarterback-driven"

New  Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer
New Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer

Kalen DeBoer had his introductory press conference on Saturday after being announced as the next head coach of Alabama in the post-Nick Saban era.

His appointment happened within 48 hours of Saban's departure. He now has a tough task ahead of him in continuing to sustain Alabama's reputation as a college football team and carry forward the legacy that Nick Saban has built.

And DeBoer has a successful resume to back his skills, most recently leading Washington to a Pac-12 championship and a CFP Championship game against Michigan.

Kalen DeBoer is known for building on the offensive prowess of the team. Having worked with the likes of Michael Penix Jr in Washington and helped him transform into a talented QB, his skills in shaping signal-callers are well known. As a result, DeBoer is looking to carry this forward with a quarterback-first approach.

When DeBoer was asked about what he is looking for in a QB, he replied by stating that the offense he will lead in Alabama will be quarterback-driven. He then went on to highlight the importance of a good signal caller and the advantages it provides while trying to score on the field.

"Our offense will be quarterback driven. The quarterback has to be the leader. We need to make sure the skill around him is all a threat to score from anywhere on the football field."

Kalen DeBoer's prowess working with quarterbacks was visible during the last two seasons with Michael Penix Jr. Before Kalen DeBoer took over, the Huskies were hardly known for their passing game.

But with him and Penix coming over, the Huskies' offense changed completely, and Penix went on to put up the most successful seasons of his college career.

In 2023, Michael Penix Jr recorded 4,903 passing yards and 36 TD passes, leading the team to an undefeated CFP Championship appearance against Michigan. The QB also finished second in Heisman voting behind Jayden Daniels, capping off a successful college stint.

Also Read: Washington Huskies coaching search: Top 5 potential Kalen DeBoer replacements


How Jalen Milroe fits in with Kalen DeBoer

Despite a shaky start to his debut campaign as a starter, Jalen Milroe displayed his talents in both passing and running with the ball. Standing at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, Milroe possesses the ability to make passes into tight windows and lob the ball across the field.

Apart from this, the young QB also has exceptional speed, making him a dual-threat QB to watch out for. With Milroe's talent, it will be DeBoer's first time working with a dual-threat QB. It will be interesting to see how it plays out between them if DeBoer decides to keep Milroe as his starter.

Read More: Alabama’s new $100M man Kalen DeBoer makes an emotional plea to Crimson Tide stars considering transfer portal: “Give me a chance”

Alabama Crimson Tide Fan? Check out the latest Crimson Tide depth chart, schedule, and team roster updates all in one place!

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Edited by Deepesh Nair
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