Colin Cowherd declares Kalen DeBoer greatest hire after a legend in CFB history
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In all likelihood, you’re never going to truly fill the shoes of a legend. When it comes to Nick Saban at Alabama, Kalen DeBoer would have to win four College Football Playoff titles to come close.
DeBoer hasn’t made a CFP semifinal in Tuscaloosa yet, but Colin Cowherd believes his success in Tuscaloosa is incredible. So much so that on Wednesday, Cowherd told fellow FOX commentator Joel Klatt that DeBoer is at the top of the mountain when it comes to replacing an icon.
“I literally said this on the air, that the greatest hire after a legend in the history of college football is DeBoer after Saban,” Cowherd said. “It doesn’t work that way… Saban was the best coach in college football, and Kalen DeBoer is a more public Chris Petersen… nobody wanted to play Boise State with Chris Petersen.”
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Klatt listened to Cowherd wax poetic for a bit before offering his thoughts on the claim. Then, they went back-and-forth a little.
“Jimbo [Fisher] followed Bobby Bowden and won a national championship,” Klatt said. “Kalen hasn’t won a national championship.”
“Jimbo’s not Kalen DeBoer, come on,” Cowherd countered. “We know [Kalen DeBoer is] great. Charles Barkley didn’t win a title. Dan Marino [didn’t either]… it can’t be all about that.”
“Can’t it?” Klatt responded.
Through 37 games at Alabama, DeBoer is 27-10 with one SEC Championship appearance and one College Football Playoff victory. Fisher, in his first three seasons at Florida State, went 31-10 with two ACC Championship appearances and one conference title. His CFP paths were limited, obviously, in a 4-team field compared to the current 12-team bracket.
Fisher won his national championship during his fourth season in Tallahassee. If DeBoer brings it home this year, maybe he’ll leap Fisher and Ryan Day — who Cowherd called “pretty damn strong” after Urban Meyer — in Klatt’s estimation. The Crimson Tide face the Vanderbilt Commodores this weekend.
