Kalen DeBoer opens up on the message Nick Saban shared with him, Alabama before Week 1

On Saturday, Kalen DeBoer made a statement in his debut as Alabama‘s head coach with a dominant 63-0 win over Western Kentucky. On Monday, DeBoer pulled back the curtain on a conversation he had with former head coach Nick Saban in the week leading up to the game.

“We talked actually, before the game,” DeBoer said. “He gave me a call on Thursday, and that was really cool for the guys. He wanted me to pass along that he’s thinking about them and and wishing them the best and rooting for them.

CLICK HERE to go to PrizePicks and use code ON3 to receive a guaranteed $50 once you play $5 in lineups!

“You can just tell how much he cares about not just the program, but the individuals within it. So, I wanted to make sure I passed that along because I think that was important for them to hear.”

Saban’s former players undoubtedly made him proud on Saturday. In the win, quarterback Jalen Milroe was dominant, tallying 200 passing yards and three touchdowns without throwing an interception. Additionally, Milroe recorded 10 carries for 79 yards and two scores on the ground.

Justice Haynes, who sparingly saw the field during his freshman year under Saban, also showed off his growth against the Hilltoppers. In the triumph, he notched a game-high 102 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams never played for Saban but was recruited by him. He showed out against WKU, recording a team-high 139 receiving yards and two touchdowns on only two receptions.

There’s no doubt Saban was grinning watching his former team on the field. This weekend, Alabama will give Saban an even greater reason to smile. On Saturday, the school will honor the legendary head coach by naming the field inside Bryant-Denny Stadium in his honor.

Kalen DeBoer is excited to see Alabama honor Saban for the legacy he helped build.

“It’s gonna be an awesome night. Having the field named in honor of coach — that’s really, really something special,” DeBoer said. “Just to hold that honor for Coach Saban, everything he’s done here. I know much that will mean to him.

“It’s something that I know we have a lot of respect for, and I’m going to make sure that we continue to do everything we can to make it our house, and protect our field here on out, just like it’s been in the 17 years that he was here.”

The dedication will occur on Saturday at halftime of Alabama’s matchup against USF. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.