Alabama has officially named Kalen DeBoer as its next head coach.

DeBoer becomes the 28th head coach in Alabama history. He replaces Nick Saban, who won 6 national championships during his 17-year tenure as Alabama’s head coach.

“We are excited to welcome Kalen and Nicole DeBoer, and their daughters, Alexis and Avery, to The University of Alabama,” athletic directory Greg Byrne said in a release. “Coach DeBoer has proven he is a winner and has done an incredible job as a head coach at each of his stops. One of the things I told our team the other day is we are going to get someone who is not only a great coach with the Xs and Os, but also someone who cares about his players and someone I’d want my sons to play for, just like I would have wanted them to play for Coach Saban. We got that in Coach DeBoer. He is ready to get to work, and we look forward to him leading the Alabama Crimson Tide football program for years to come.”

DeBoer arrives in Tuscaloosa after 2 seasons as Washington’s head coach. He helped quickly turnaround the Huskies’ program and led them all the way to the national championship game to cap off the 2023 season. It was Washington’s first appearance in a national championship game in program history.

DeBoer shared some of the reasons why he decided to leave Washington for the head coaching job at Alabama.

“I have always had an incredible respect for Alabama football and its commitment to excellence,” DeBoer said in a release. “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.

“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. I want to thank Director of Athletics Greg Byrne, President Stuart R. Bell, Chancellor Finis St. John and The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees for their belief in me to lead this program.”

Prior to Washington, DeBoer’s head coaching experience also includes stints at Fresno State and Sioux Falls. With Fresno, he led the Bulldogs to a 12-6 record across 2 seasons — including a COVID-shortened 2020 campaign. At Sioux Falls, DeBoer dominated at the NAIA level. Over 5 seasons with the program, he led the Cougars to 3 national championships and an overall record of 67-3.

DeBoer’s other Power-5 football experience includes a stint as Indiana’s offensive coordinator in 2019. The Hoosiers averaged 5.99 yards per play that season — a mark they have not come close to matching since DeBoer’s departure.

Alabama has reportedly set a team meeting for 9 p.m. CT on Friday night.