"An environment that was just off the charts": When Kalen DeBoer reminisced his first impressions of Bama standard in 2017

Kalen DeBoer took over as Alabama coach in January 2024 following the retirement of Nick Saban. He had led Washington to the Pac-12 championship and the national championship game before making his way to Tuscaloosa for the landscape's toughest job.

Ahead of his first season in charge of the Crimson Tide in August 2024, Kalen DeBoer sat in a one-on-one interview with ESPN's Lauren Sisler. With anticipation for his first game with the team, the coach described his experience at the Bryant-Denny Stadium when he visited with Fresno State in 2017.

“That was my first year at Fresno State,” DeBoer said (Timestamp 6:02). “Coach Tedford had hired me to be the offense coordinator. I think it was our second game as a staff together, as a twin together. They were 1-11 the previous year. We went on to a conference championship game that season, 10-4 overall.

“But we knew that Alabama, coming off of a playoff appearance in 2016, that this was going to be a really tough game. But we actually played really well, I thought. But it just being an environment that was just off the charts, from the time you're pulling into the stadium.

“I don't remember in pieces. You're trying to recall what it was, where we came in from and what direction. I can't remember that, but I just remember it being a fan base that was ready for game day and ready for the show.”

The Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium has one of the most electric atmospheres in the college football world. With a capacity of over 100,000 spectators, the stadium welcomes a lot of Crimson Tide faithful every season, creating an unpleasant atmosphere for the visiting team.

Kalen DeBoer never visualized himself at Alabama

What Nick Saban achieved at Alabama, became the holy grail of college football coaching jobs. Kalen DeBoer was questioned about whether he had ever seen himself becoming the coach of the Crimson Tide after his visit with Fresno State. The coach never saw that coming.

“No, I never really did,” DeBoer said (Timestamp 7:09). “And it was never about that. It was about just being where you're at and enjoying the moment you're in as an assistant, as a head coach. But yeah, I wouldn't have imagined being at Alabama, and especially as the head coach.”

Kalen DeBoer will now have the opportunity to lead the Alabama team out of the tunnel for the next couple of years. While his first season in Tuscaloosa didn't meet the standard set by Nick Saban at the program, there's confidence in what he can achieve at the program.