Instant Reaction: Alabama Hires Kalen DeBoer as Football Coach

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Just two days after the retirement of all-time great head coach Nick Saban, Alabama found his replacement in Washington's Kalen DeBoer.

DeBoer is a proven winner, boasting a 104-12 career record as a head coach, including a 25-3 mark at his previous stop in Seattle. After taking over a Washington team that went 4-8 the year before he arrived, he led the program to the College Football Playoff and National Championship Game in just his second year at the helm.

Watch the video at the top of the page as BamaCentral's Blake Byler and Katie Windham discuss their initial reactions to DeBoer's hiring, and what it means for the Crimson Tide program moving forward.

About the BamaCentral Staff:

Katie Windham: Katie Windham is the assistant editor and senior writer for BamaCentral, primarily covering football, basketball, gymnastics, softball and more. She is a two-time graduate of The University of Alabama and has covered a variety of Alabama sports since 2019 for outlets like The Tuscaloosa News, The Crimson White and the Associated Press before joining BamaCentral full time in 2021. Windham has covered College Football Playoff games, the Women's College World Series, SEC tournaments and championships in multiple sports and March Madness.

Blake Byler: Blake Byler is a staff writer for BamaCentral and primarily covers Alabama basketball and football. He has covered a wide variety of Crimson Tide sports since 2021, including golf, softball, baseball, and more. He served as the sports editor of The Crimson White while in school, and began writing full-time for BamaCentral in 2023 following his graduation from The University of Alabama.