DeBoer, Tide share ‘chip on shoulder’ after Saban

• Chris Low, ESPN Senior Citizen WriterFeb 21, 2024, 09:55 PM ET

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  • College football reporter
  • Joined ESPN.com in 2007
  • Graduate of the University of Tennessee

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.– The old saying that it’s much better to follow the guy who followed the male than to follow the male isn’t lost on Kalen DeBoer.DeBoer has heard that a person a time or more because changing the legendary Nick Saban last month as Alabama’s head football coach. But he said Wednesday that the honor of being the one chosen to change Saban far exceeds any pressure he might feel.” I take a look at it as an advantage, and not pressure, to be able to come to a location like this, “DeBoer informed ESPN.”I understand that there are expectations that are extremely high. However consider what the alternative is– to be at a place that does not have expectations.”That’s not what I’m trying to find, not what I have actually gone through to get to this point.”Editor’s Picks 2 Related DeBoer assisted Washington to the College Football Playoff national championship game in his 2nd season before losing to Michigan. The Huskies were 4-8 the year before DeBoer arrived, and he has won 11 or more games in 7 of his nine seasons as a head coach.He’s likewise well aware of the existing story that Alabama is finally susceptible regardless of DeBoer’s achievements.

“I think there’s possibly a typical chip on our shoulder,”DeBoer said.” Our players here at Alabama fell an overtime short of betting

the championship game last year. We were one step away from winning the championship game at Washington.”Let’s take that next step together.” DeBoer stated he wants Alabama to be in” attack” mode in whatever it does, comparable to the method Washington carved teams apart on offense the past two seasons. The Huskies were one

of 4 FBS groups (in addition to Georgia, Oregon and USC) to typical 36 or more points per game each of the past 2 seasons.”It’s the same method on defense, and it doesn’t imply that the ball’s always flying down the field 40 or 50 lawns on offense, either,”DeBoer stated.”It’s a frame of mind that if you seem like there’s a play that can be made, we don’t need to set it up with two or three more play calls. We can go at it today and we’re going to be so called in with our tactical plan and the information that we see on movie, the guys we’re trying to attack, that when we make a check or we telephone, everyone understands why we’re doing it.” As recently as five years ago, DeBoer was the offending coordinator at Indiana. One of the things he has constantly prided himself on was coaching right where his feet were and not casting a wandering eye to the next job.It was

the very same way at Sioux Falls when he won three NAIA national championships in 2006, 2008 and 2009. It was the exact same method at Fresno State in 2020-21 before landing his first Power 5 head task at Washington. However when he got the call on the night of Jan. 10 that Alabama wished to talk, DeBoer never flinched. He liked Washington and everything about leading the Huskies’program and what the future held there.But it’s not every day that history knocks on your door.” It’s something that you build up for to be ready,”DeBoer said.” And I think a great deal of people constantly say they want to be at the greatest level. They wish to be contending against the very best, but a great deal of individuals get to that point and after that they recognize maybe that wasn’t what they wanted to belong of. There’s a point you get to in your career where you still have that hunger and that drive to take on new obstacles and new opportunities, but you’re also founded guilty enough in who you are and what you have actually been through to know that you can do it.”That’s where I was in my profession, and the important things you’ve got to keep in mind is that everything occurred so fast. You wake up Wednesday early morning and Alabama is nowhere on your radar. And after that you hear the news and get the call. So when I say quickly, it was actually fast. “DeBoer’s answer when Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne quizzed him about following in Saban’s shadow only reinforced what Byrne already understood about DeBoer. After all, every athletic director keeps a working short list of prospects, particularly when their head coach reaches his 70s.”I’m going to embrace Coach Saban and what he and Mrs. Terry [

Saban] represent and indicate to this university,”DeBoer told Byrne.”There’s just one person that’s ever going to get to do that, to follow Coach Saban. What a challenge, what an honor, what a chance. “DeBoer stated he and Saban have talked a handful of times, but have

n’t had a chance to sit down and talk at length. “I look forward to doing that,”DeBoer said.” Our schedules have not truly permitted it, but I can’t imagine having a better resource to go to on any number of subjects. “Saban stated he hasn’t been back in the football complex given that DeBoer was employed, however only since he wishes to give DeBoer the chance to get settled. It has actually also been a whirlwind for DeBoer

, who has gone through a number of different waves of assembling his staff.Ryan Grubb was at first featuring him to be the offending coordinator, but left to be the Seattle Seahawks’offensive coordinator and took offensive line coach Scott Huff with him. DeBoer replaced Huff with veteran Chris Kapilovic, who had just been employed far from Michigan State from Baylor. DeBoer also brought Nick Sheridan with him from Washington. Sheridan, the Huskies’tight ends coach last season, was called

as Grubb’s replacement as offensive coordinator, and DeBoer told ESPN on Wednesday that Sheridan would call plays for the Tide. Sheridan was Indiana’s playcaller in 2020-21. DeBoer stated he knew keeping Grubb would be difficult and felt initially that Grubb may be his replacement as head coach at Washington. He likes the mix of his staff with Saban holdovers Freddie Roach training the defensive line and Robert Gillespie training running backs. Veteran SEC outside linebackers coach Christian Robinson was the most current hire. He coached at Baylor last season, however coached formerly at Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State and Ole Miss.General manager Courtney Morgan and receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard included DeBoer from Washington, and he hired two sitting head coaches– South Alabama’s Kane Wommack as defensive planner and Buffalo’s Maurice Linguist as co-defensive planner and defensive backs coach.”I think we nailed it with our staff, guys who have actually been with me and coached with me, guys who have actually coached in the SEC and guys who have actually been head coaches, “DeBoer stated.”We have actually got guys who bring great energy and are excellent incentives, and they have the balance of having the ability to get in touch with guys and likewise press them to be their finest.”