Kalen DeBoer: Developing balance, physical toughness is key to winning championships

The goal for every coach is to win a championship. That’s no different for Kalen DeBoer, who took over as the head coach at Alabama following Nick Saban‘s retirement.

While making an appearance on The Ryen Russillo Podcast, DeBoer spoke about finding a way to win a championship, emphasizing that developing a balance and physical toughness is the key for the Crimson Tide moving forward.

“One of our things in our program,” Kalen DeBoer said. “And it was one of our goals that we have and you’re hitting on it here even this Spring, and it’s been my thing everywhere I’ve been. I can go back 15 years for sure that I can think of where creating an attitude, creating a toughness, creating a family environment. It doesn’t happen just by putting in cute pass plays or really awesome blitzes. You’ve got to do those things well and you’ve got to create this mentality that exists to be able to win championships.”

Alabama is, of course, a program that expects championships. The Crimson Tide have 18 claimed national titles. That includes six during the Nick Saban era.

“You can win games, but to win championships it takes a whole other level of just bringing it all together and what you’re all about,” DeBoer said. “The toughness, both mental and physical toughness, is something that again this program’s been all about. It’s what’s made it what it is. Coach Saban and everyone who’s been through here. You can just see it. You can feel it.”

In 2023, while coaching Washington, Kalen DeBoer to the Huskies to the brink of a national championship. While they ended up losing to Michigan, the Huskies had that balance and toughness that DeBoer wanted to see, even if some people perceived Washington as lacking toughness.

“But that was certainly what the case was [in Washington] like you said in last season. The physical toughness, I think that was the thing if there was one thing I got frustrated with, with how we were perceived it was this physical toughness because offensively you’re known for throwing the ball. You can be physically tough. You can fight for extra yards, you can fall ahead, you can hold the line of scrimmage, and make big stops on the goal line and short yardage,” DeBoer said.

“I felt like that’s what our team did, and they did it in the biggest moments. So, it’s a tribute to them on creating an attitude, being able to buy-in, and belief and confidence through preparation when it comes to those critical times.”

Kalen DeBoer ‘excited’ by challenge of following Nick Saban at Alabama

There are plenty of people who don’t want to replace an all-time great because of the difficult comparisons it will garner. However, Kalen DeBoer is excited by the challenge of following Nick Saban.

“It’s a privilege and an honor to be the next person to follow Coach Saban. There’s only going to be one. He did some amazing things, led the program, and built an infrastructure for Alabama football that I’m really hoping to build on. I think we’ve got a great staff that can do that and I’m excited about that challenge,” DeBoer said.

“I’m going to be me. There’s a few things that are different but I think as much as anything, you always find there are more similarities between coaches, no matter what their style is.”