Kalen DeBoer of Washington is named the new football coach by Alabama.

Alabama announced on Friday night that Kalen DeBoer, a Washington native who led the Huskies to a Pac-12 title and a position in the College Football Playoff National Championship game last season, will take over as head coach.

As Nick Saban’s replacement, DeBoer, 49, takes on one of the most desired and challenging positions in college football. Over his 17 seasons at the school, Saban’s teams won nine SEC titles and six national championships. With 206-29 record at Alabama, Saban announced his retirement on Wednesday.

The university issued a statement quoting DeBoer as saying, “I have always had an immense respect for Alabama football and its commitment to excellence.” “This program has an unrivaled tradition-rich history in collegiate athletics, and I look forward to carrying that heritage forward in the future. Being Coach Saban’s follower is an honor. He has set the bar for college football, and his accomplishments are unheard of. I would not have gone to any old school in Washington. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be the head of the University of Alabama football program. We consider ourselves really fortunate, and my family and I are eager to settle into the Tuscaloosa neighborhood.”

After letting his Washington teammates and staff know on Friday afternoon that he was heading to Alabama, DeBoer took a plane Friday night and landed in Tuscaloosa, where he was scheduled to meet his new teammates.

On Saturday at 2:00 PM ET, there will be a press conference to present DeBoer.

According to sources who spoke with ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Troy Dannen, the athletic director at Washington, made a strong push to retain DeBoer by offering a new contract that would have more than quadrupled his $4.2 million yearly pay and placed him among the top 10 paid coaches in the FBS.

DeBoer turned it down for Alabama and the SEC, though, so despite agreeing to a two-year contract extension through the 2028 season in November, he will owe Washington a $12 million buyout.

Even before three other potential candidates, Dan Lanning of Oregon, Mike Norvell of Florida State, and Steve Sarkisian of Texas, withdrew from consideration and reaffirmed their commitments to their present institutions during the previous two days, DeBoer had become the Crimson Tide’s primary target.

Greg Byrne, the athletic director of Alabama, stated in a statement, “Coach DeBoer has demonstrated he is a winner and has done an exceptional job as a head coach at each of his destinations.” “We are going to get someone who is not only an excellent coach with the Xs and Os, but also someone who cares about his players. I would want my sons to play for this person, just as I would have wanted Coach Saban,” I mentioned to our squad the other day. We have Coach DeBoer for that. We anticipate him being in charge of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team for many years to come because he is prepared to go to work.”

Washington hired DeBoer in 2021 to revitalize the program following the Huskies’ 4-8 performance in Jimmy Lake’s second season as head coach. In 2022, the Huskies enjoyed an 11-2 season and more than quadrupled their win record thanks to quarterback Michael Penix Jr., a transfer from Indiana, who led the Huskies’ attack.

In order to make it to the College Football Playoffs for the second time in school history, Washington defeated Oregon 34–31 in the Pac-12 title game after going 12-0 during the regular season. On New Year’s Day, the Huskies defeated Texas 37-31 at the Allstate Sugar Bowl in a CFP semifinal.