“I had a visual in my head” - Kalen DeBoer shares why taking over Nick Saban’s Alabama was his dream job

Kalen DeBoer replaced Nick Saban as the head coach of Alabama in January. This came after the unexpected retirement of the legendary coach Nick Saban after 17 years in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide job was undoubtedly a big opportunity for the former Fresno State coach.

In his recent interview with former Alabama QB Greg McElroy on “Always College Football,” Kalen DeBoer recounted his past memories of the program, which he referred to McElroy as his 'dream job':

“What I do remember being in high school and Coach Stallings with the championship team there in the early 90s. I just remembered there was something about that and him being on the sideline, that just seemed [amazing] being a South Dakota boy, just not having traveled around and definitely been to this part of the country, that just seemed like so far away and so outrageous to think about Alabama football."

DeBoer also described the atmosphere when he came to Alabama in 2017 when he was a Fresno State coordinator:

"The environment, the energy, the excitement leading up to the game, game itself, it was special. You know, you could see it. I had a visual in my head of what it felt like as this process was all happening and the opportunity presenting itself. I was very excited about that," DeBoer said.

DeBoer became Fresno State's head coach in 2022 before moving on to Washington in 2022. He led the Huskies to a 25-3 record over two years, including a berth in the national championship game, which helped get him the job at Alabama.

Kalen DeBoer’s impression when he received Alabama's offer

Alabama is a one-of-a-kind program in the world of college football. The program's winning reputation has ensured it is highly regarded within the landscape, placing it as an elite among the Elite programs. Kalen DeBoer took the Crimson Tide job with a deep knowledge of this fact.

DeBoer narrated what his impression felt like after the Alabama offer came in. He cited how the program has flourished over the years with superb effort from players like Elroy himself and a host of coaches. It's something he had felt from a distance and the job takes him closer to it.

“It's always been what we refer to as a standard. I know you're biased,” DeBoer said to McElroy. “You should be because you've poured a lot into this program and made it what it is and made it to a place along with many other alumni and great coaches that have been here to make it a special place.”

“[You've] made it one that brings in the championships but the way it's done, being first class in all those areas, just not on the field but off the field. It's what I've always seen from afar. I've always admired just everything about the program.”

Kalen DeBoer takes on his first season with the Crimson Tide in a couple of months and there's a lot of anticipation around the college football world about how the program fares post-Saban.