Kalen DeBoer not letting magnitude of national championship impact him
As Kalen DeBoer thinks about the national championship stage, the Washington coach won’t let the magnitude of the game get to him and the team.
Having a quick turnaround can be good and bad, depending upon your perspective. Good as in it gives DeBoer a chance to turn the page for the biggest game. Bad as in it’s less time to prepare.
But he wanted his players to appreciate the journey to this point.
“It’s been a quick turnaround, in all honesty,” DeBoer said. “I’ve tried to make sure that our guys realize the moment they’re in, have some perspective because it’s going to come and go real fast. Seven days from Sugar Bowl to national championship.
“I think last year it was a few more days than what it is now. We’ve spent some time in the air from New Orleans to Seattle and back to here. But I’ve tried to really make sure and be intentional that this moment is special.”
Knowing that everything comes down to one game is also a blessing and curse. Sure, it’s a lot of pressure, but DeBoer knows this is it for Washington.
For the Huskies, it’s time to leave it all out on the field.
“It’s really great when you’re in playoff football when you know when your last game is going to be,” DeBoer said. “And you can have a moment here, a moment there where you can really appreciate how far we’ve come, whether it’s this year or over the last two years.
“And in the end, though, someone’s going to be a national championship, and that’s the greatest piece of it all is making sure you’re putting in all the preparation. We’re diving into all that but the preparation is what’s going to lead to the success on game day.”
When nearly two-thirds of your battles go down to the wire, it can be easy to grow tired. However, Washington has only improved its intensity as the season has progressed. DeBoer believes his team’s success in the face of exhaustion is due to their love for the challenge moments.
“Just love being in that moment, and I think it leads to confidence when everyone just kind of has great body language and ready to go out there and just take on the next challenge, whether it be the next play or the next game,” DeBoer said. “Loving the moment, embracing it. And making sure that there’s no excuses and no regrets when it’s all said and done.”