Kalen DeBoer isn’t afraid of a little competition especially when that comes to recruiting in the SEC.

DeBoer had a message for those who questioned whether he could recruit well in a different part of the country. He was confident in his ability to change based on his surroundings. Recruiting in the SEC is a different animal than the Pac-12, but DeBoer sounds up for it.

“I wasn’t a West Coast guy either. I’d never been to the West coast until a few years ago. Coached at two universities out there,” DeBoer said Saturday. “I think there’s an ability to adapt that I feel confident in to where we’re at. I understand what the SEC is all about. Kind of how strong and how much it means here.”

A big-time recruit has already decommitted from Alabama since Nick Saban’s firing. Ryan Williams, a 5-star wideout in the 2024 class, decommitted from Alabama on Wednesday. If DeBoer could win over Williams, it would be a huge recruiting win.

The hiring of DeBoer at Alabama has also caused some movement in recruiting for Washington, however. The top recruit in the Huskies’ 2025 class, Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, has reopened his recruitment due to the “uncertainty” surrounding Washington.

DeBoer comes to Tuscaloosa after posting a 25-3 record at Washington in the last 2 seasons. He has success with every head coaching job he’s had and looks to continue Alabama’s winning tradition.