Kalen DeBoer leaving University of Washington to replace Nick Saban as Alabama head coach

SEATTLE (KOMO) — University of Washington football coach Kalen DeBoer, who led the Huskies to the national championship game in his second season, told UW officials Friday he was leaving to replace Nick Saban at Alabama.

ESPN first reported that DeBoer was negotiating with Alabama on Friday. ESPN's Pete Thamel and The Associated Press both reported that new Washington athletic director Troy Dannen made an aggressive pitch to keep DeBoer, 49, who inherited a 4-8 Washington team and guided them to an 11-2 ledger in 2022 and a 14-1 record this past fall.

Around 4:30 p.m. PST Friday, Alabama made it official with a post on X and an announcement on its website.

"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. I would not have left Washington for just any school," DeBoer added. "The chance to lead the football program at The University of Alabama is the opportunity of a lifetime. My family and I feel truly blessed and look forward to becoming a part of the Tuscaloosa community.

In November 2022, DeBoer signed an extension with UW football through the 2028 season, raising his salary to $4.2 million a year with annual incremental increases, and an increased $12 million buyout if he left for a new job.

Washington offered DeBoer a seven-year deal worth an average of $9.4 million annually to stay on Friday, according to The AP. DeBoer's high-powered agent, Jimmy Sexton, also represents Saban.

The Huskies, ranked number two in the nation, reached the College Football Playoff this season, beating Texas before losing to top-ranked Michigan in the title game Monday.

The Alabama head coaching position is arguably the most coveted in college football. However, replacing Saban will be no breeze.

Saban announced his retirement Wednesday after 17 seasons with the Crimson Tide. Saban's Alabama teams won nine SEC titles, six national championships and compiled a 206-29 overall record.

DeBoer won three NAIA national championships as head coach at the University of Sioux Falls from 2005-09. The Alabama position would mark the fifth stop in six years for DeBoer, who left Fresno State after being hired as Indiana's offensive coordinator in 2019. He then returned to Fresno State, where he served as head coach, before jumping to Washington in 2022.