Washington officials release statements after Kalen DeBoer leaves for Alabama

After Kalen DeBoer officially accepted the Alabama head coach position, replacing Nick Saban, officials at Washington have spoken out. UW president Ana Mari Cauce and athletic director Troy Dannen both released statements shortly after the Crimson Tide announced DeBoer’s hiring.

Both Cauce and Dannen mentioned the urgency to replace DeBoer, who led Washington to the national championship in just his second season at the helm. The university was preparing to make a push to keep him in Seattle, according to ESPN, but he ultimately decided to follow in Saban’s footsteps.

“Kalen DeBoer led a remarkable run for UW Football and showed the world that we are capable of competing at the very highest level,” Cauce said. “We are disappointed that he chose to leave, but he has left us a strong foundation to build on, both on and off the field, and we wish him the best of luck at Alabama. We’ll start an immediate search for the next leader of UW Football – someone who can build on these successes as we enter the Big Ten and ensure the long-term excellence of our program.”

Dannen took over in October 2023, and he’ll now have the chance to make a landmark hire in the early part of his tenure. On3’s Andy Staples released his Hot Board with potential candidates to replace DeBoer, and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb could be an internal candidate.

“The last two seasons of Washington Husky Football have encapsulated all that we seek in our sports programs: competing for championships, providing a tremendous student-athlete experience and creating a lifetime of memories for our student-athletes, our university, our fans and our community,” Dannen said. “Kalen DeBoer has been an outstanding leader of our football program and what he accomplished in two seasons on Montlake will forever be a part of our storied history. We are sad to see him leave and we did all that we could to keep Kalen at UW. But ultimately, he made a decision that was in the best interests of his family and furthered his professional goals. We thank Kalen for his service to Washington and wish him, Nicole, Alexis and Avery the very best in their new endeavor.
 
“We have one of the best head coaching jobs in all of college football, with our recent success, our upcoming entry into the premier intercollegiate athletics conference, the Big Ten, our passionate supporters and fanbase, and a world-class university. Our search for a new head coach is underway and I am excited about what comes next for Husky Football.”

DeBoer had a 25-3 record in his two seasons with the Huskies, and he took the program to its first-ever national championship game, where they fell to Michigan Monday night in Houston.