Did Kalen DeBoer Make the Right Move?
On December 1, 2023, Kalen DeBoer stood on the sidelines, a growing smile on his face, as his Washington Huskies secured a momentous victory. Running back Dillon Johnson’s 18-yard rush on third-and-9 clinched a Pac-12 championship and a College Football Playoff berth. DeBoer celebrated with his team, soaking in a defining moment: hands on his Husky hat, an emotional embrace with co-defensive coordinator William Inge, and a jubilant ice bath courtesy of senior center Matteo Mele.
“They gave me everything,” DeBoer told ESPN’s Holly Rowe after the thrilling 34-31 win over Oregon. “The brotherhood is so strong here… They just wanted to showcase what we’ve built and how hard we play for each other.”
In just two seasons, DeBoer transformed Washington into a powerhouse, amassing a 25-3 record, a Pac-12 title, a Sugar Bowl win, an undefeated home streak, and a CFP National Championship Game appearance. But that foundation would soon be abandoned.
DeBoer’s decision to leave Washington for Alabama seemed logical: the allure of coaching one of college football’s most prestigious programs, armed with elite resources, facilities, and recruiting advantages. However, reality has been less forgiving. In his first three months, DeBoer has already matched the number of losses he suffered in two years at Washington.
This season’s setbacks have been glaring. Alabama endured a shocking 40-35 loss to Vanderbilt — the Commodores’ first win over a top-five team in program history. A narrow defeat to Tennessee and a dismal 24-3 performance against Oklahoma further damaged the Crimson Tide’s reputation. Alabama now faces the prospect of its first four-loss season since Nick Saban’s inaugural campaign in 2007, a scenario tantamount to failure by the program’s lofty standards.
DeBoer, when asked what remains worth playing for, leaned on the ethos of commitment and team unity. “When you sign up to play for Alabama, you make that commitment to each other… We’re going to finish everything we do,” he said. Yet, to Washington fans, his departure—just four days after the Pac-12 championship—might feel like the opposite of finishing what he started.
The move invites debate. While Alabama offered DeBoer the tools to chase championships, it also subjected him to relentless pressure and impossibly high expectations. At Washington, DeBoer had crafted a program capable of competing at the highest level. The Huskies could have been a 9- or 10-win team in the Big Ten, led by a solid core of returning players and potential transfers.
But questions linger: Could DeBoer have sustained his success at Washington without star quarterback Michael Penix Jr.? Would limited Big Ten revenue shares hinder long-term growth? And would Washington ever join college football’s elite under his leadership?
While DeBoer’s decision is too recent to fully evaluate, early struggles at Alabama have fueled the “what ifs.” He left a rising powerhouse for a perennial juggernaut that tolerates no learning curve. As losses mount, the choice appears increasingly precarious.
On Saturday, Washington faces Oregon in a pivotal rivalry game—a meeting of two programs in dramatically different places. For DeBoer, the outcome may sting as he watches from afar, grappling with a career move that’s anything but certain.
