Former coach Bill Curry emphasizes rich legacy of Crimson Tide: "Alabama will continue to win football games with or without Kalen DeBoer" 

New Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer has perhaps the hardest job in college football. He replaced the retired Crimson Tide legend Nick Saban, who became the personification of winning in college football, and the former Washington Huskies coach will be under immense scrutiny headed into his first season.

DeBoer was reminded of the obligation that he has to win as the coach of such a storied institution by none other than former Bama coach Billy Curry (1987-1989) during an in-house interview.

"Alabama will continue to win football games, with or without Kalen DeBoer or any of the rest of us," Curry said. "I mean, because that's required. What we learned when we coached at Alabama was, you never ever have to motivate an Alabama player to practice football, or to go to off-season conditioning or to play hard in the fourth quarter, you never have to do that because they know what their purpose is.

"You ask about DeBoer's record. It looks like he's done that, but I don't know if it's gonna fit here in this circumstance, but I bet you it does."

Kalen DeBoer predicted to win natty with Alabama

Kalen DeBoer had a stellar tenure as coach of the Washington Huskies romping to the Pac-12 championship last season and the final of the College Football Playoff before losing to Jim Harbaugh's Michigan Wolverines.

DeBoer has stepped into the shoes of a legend who defined the art of winning national championships with six bagged for Nick Saban during his stay in Tuscaloosa.

Luckily for Bama fans, DeBoer has a winning pedigree that holds up to the eye test at different programs.

During an "Always College Football" episode, ESPN analyst (and former Crimson Tide quarterback) Greg McElroy discussed the chances of Kalen DeBoer winning a national championship with the Crimson Tide.

“I’m putting the percentage chance that he’ll win a natty at Alabama at 75%," McElroy said. "I believe DeBoer will win a national championship at Alabama. I don’t think it’s going to take very long. This guy, in his career, has only two losses against ranked opponents. Two – one was against Michigan and the other was when he was at Fresno State.

"He was undefeated at Washington against ranked opponents up until his final game as the Washington head coach. He can do more with less and he has proven that at both Fresno, at Washington."

Alabama fans will hope that the winning pedigree that Kalen DeBoer has showcased throughout his career will follow him to Tuscaloosa and he can continue their impeccable winning tradition.