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

The Crimson Tide conducted a relatively quick search following the retirement of legendary head coach Nick Saban earlier this week. Alabama will now hire DeBoer, who led Washington all the way to the national championship game this past season.

DeBoer becomes the 28th head coach in Alabama football history. Of his predecessors, 5 accomplished the ultimate goal of winning at least 1 national championship with the Crimson Tide. Saban, the man DeBoer is tasked with replacing, won 6.

However, if history in Tuscaloosa is to be believed, the 2024 campaign could be relatively rough for Alabama. Saban went 7-6 in his first season. Gene Stallings, the most recent coach before Saban to win the national title, went just 7-6 in his inaugural season at the helm. The iconic Bear Bryant went just 5-4-1 during his first season in 1958.

Of course, DeBoer will be taking over a program and a roster that’s better-suited to compete right away than many, if not all, of his predecessors. Still, no Alabama coach has won more than 7 games in their first season in charge since Ray Perkins in 1983, who led the program to an 8-4 mark. To get to a 9-win season in Year 1, you’d have to go all the way back to Frank Thomas in 1931.

Saban’s first season got off to a strong start with 3 consecutive victories. However, the Tide dropped their next 2 contests to Georgia and Florida State. Alabama then ended the regular season with 4 straight losses to LSU, Mississippi State, Louisiana-Monroe and Auburn.

Saban quickly got things back on track, however. In 2008, the Tide went 12-2 and earned top-15 victories over Clemson, Georgia and LSU. Alabama got as high as No. 1 in the AP Poll that season — a feat it replicated every single year from 2008-2022.

DeBoer’s first game as Alabama’s head coach will be against Western Kentucky on Aug. 31 in Tuscaloosa. His first SEC test will be against Georgia in a rematch of the 2023 SEC Championship Game on Sept. 28 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama’s 2024 schedule also includes games against Wisconsin, Missouri, Tennessee, LSU and Oklahoma.

Here’s the full list of first-year records for every Alabama coach from Nick Saban to E.B. Beaumont:

  • Nick Saban (2007): 7-6
  • Mike Shula (2003): 4-9
  • Dennis Franchione (2001): 7-5
  • Mike DuBose (1997): 4-7
  • Gene Stallings (1987): 7-5
  • Bill Curry (1987): 7-5
  • Ray Perkins (1983): 8-4
  • Bear Bryant (1958): 5-4-1
  • Jennings Whitworth (1955): 0-10
  • Red Drew (1947): 8-3
  • Frank Thomas (1931): 9-1
  • Wallace Wade (1923): 7-2-1
  • Xen Scott (1919): 8-1
  • Thomas Kelley (1915): 6-2
  • Tubby Graves (1911): 5-2-2
  • Guy Lowman (1910): 4-4
  • J.W.H. Pollard (1906): 5-1
  • Jack Leavenworth (1905): 6-4
  • W.B. Blount (1903): 3-4
  • Eli Abbott, 2nd stint (1902): 4-4
  • M.S. Harvey (1901): 2-1-2
  • Malcolm Griffin (1900): 2-3
  • W.A. Martin (1899): 3-1
  • Allen McCants (1897): 1-0
  • Otto Wagonhurst (1896): 2-1
  • Eli Abbott (1893): 0-4
  • E.B Beaumont (1892): 2-2