After alabama wining their match their head coach kalen deboer was ask to leave because of….
SEATTLE – Two hours and 4 minutes before Alabama coach Nick Saban’s retirement caused panic attacks in the Pacific Northwest, Kalen DeBoer was asked how he’s feeling in the wake of Washington’s loss in the national championship game.
The 49-year-old DeBoer spoke for 3 minutes and 38 seconds Wednesday, while sitting at the desk in his office. He closed an impromptu State of the Program address by stating: “We’re ready to go attack the future.”
Just not at Washington.
DeBoer – who went 25-3 in two sensational seasons in Seattle, delivering a Pac-12 championship and a national title game appearance along the way – has agreed to become the next head coach at Alabama. He brings a 104-12 career record (as well as a $12 million buyout) to perhaps college football’s most prestigious program.
“I have always had an incredible respect for Alabama football and its commitment to excellence,” DeBoer said in a statement. “The tradition-rich history of this program is unmatched across the landscape of college athletics, and I look forward to continuing that moving forward. Following Coach Saban is an honor. He has been the standard for college football, and his success is unprecedented.
Added UW president Ana Mari Cauce, in a separate statement: “Kalen DeBoer led a remarkable run for UW Football and showed the world that we are capable of competing at the very highest level. We are disappointed that he chose to leave, but he has left us a strong foundation to build on, both on and off the field, and we wish him the best of luck at Alabama.
“We’ll start an immediate search for the next leader of UW Football – someone who can build on these successes as we enter the Big Ten and ensure the long-term excellence of our program.”
On Monday, No. 1 Michigan (15-0) snapped DeBoer and UW’s 21-game winning streak, handing the Huskies a 34-13 loss in the national championship game. And yet, DeBoer’s impending departure Friday may qualify as UW’s most devastating defeat of the week.
That departure shouldn’t come as a complete surprise, considering extension negotiations between DeBoer and UW lasted far longer than most expected, and never reached a resolution. It’s worth noting that DeBoer and Saban share an agent, Creative Artist Agency’s Jimmy Sexton.
“It’s not that you can’t do multiple things (at once), because we are working through that with the contract,” DeBoer said on early signing day last month. “I just think you’re so focused on the recruiting and game planning (for the College Football Playoff). I’m not saying it’s not typical, but I think a lot of times things like this are done before or after the season.