Kalen DeBoer ties school record for most wins by first-year coach after first Iron Bowl

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer experienced his first Iron Bowl on Saturday afternoon and led the No. 13-ranked Crimson Tide to a 28-14 win over Auburn.

Did the Alabama-Auburn rivalry game live up to the hype to the first-year coach?

“It lived up to the hype,” DeBoer said. “It definitely did.”

DeBoer is now just the fourth Alabama head coach to win the Iron Bowl in his first attempt as head coach of the Crimson Tide. DeBoer joins Red Drew (1948), Gene Stallings (1990) and Dennis Franchione (2001) in accomplishing that feat as Alabama defeated Auburn in its final home game of the 2024 season. The Tide advanced to 9-3 (5-3 SEC).

DeBoer’s current record of 9-3 tied Frank Thomas’ nine wins in 1931 for the most by a first-year head coach in program history. But DeBoer didn’t take credit for UA’s success this fall.

“It’s always about the team,” DeBoer said. “Any wins I get are always about the team and the staff and everything we do. There’s more that I wish we would have had, and that’s the way I look at it.”

The Crimson Tide was able to bounce back in its regular-season finale after losing on the road at Oklahoma last week. Alabama defeated three ranked opponents this year and finished Year 1 of the DeBoer era with a perfect 7-0 record at home. But the Tide lost three of its five games on the road, including two to unranked teams in Vanderbilt and the Sooners.

Looking back on his first season, at least the games on the schedule, DeBoer said there were “highs and lows” over the last three months as Alabama awaits its postseason fate. 

“That’s a part of any program,” DeBoer said. “Championship programs go through the same thing each and every year. I go back to the way I just care about these guys. And I think we’ve really grown closer together the last half of the season as a team. The staff and players just really connecting, a love for each other that I think really has grown here the last three, four, five games. I think the hard times bring you closer, and you can see the response. 

“I wish everyone could be in that locker room. And it’s not this crazy party going on downstairs. It’s a lot of just love and care for each other and smiles. That’s what it’s all about. Coming together each and every week, the ups and downs. Yeah, it’s been a great ride in a lot of ways. Obviously, there’s times when you’d love to have a few things go a little bit better.”

Alabama’s players praised DeBoer for his leadership in the first year after Nick Saban retired.

“I love Coach DeBoer,” quarterback Jalen Milroe said. “I love his commitment, his resiliency, him as a leader. The shoes that he’s filled with the position he’s in. Always working his tail off to be the best coach he can be for our football team. I respect him a lot for always trying to get the best out of me, pushing me each and every day to be the best quarterback in the nation that I can be for this football team. And just seeing his fight during the year.

“It’s not easy being a head coach in the SEC. But he’s just shown tremendous leadership and shown his pride in coaching and how much he cares about it. I’m gonna be quite honest, man, he’s one of the best coaches I’ve been around as far as loving the game, enjoying the game, enjoying the process. Yeah, we lost some games. Yeah, we haven’t played our best game. 

“But the enjoyment, I’ve really enjoyed being a quarterback for Coach DeBoer. So I appreciate him for his leadership, his love and how much he pours in me each and every day.”

Added wide receiver Germie Bernard, who followed DeBoer from Washington, “To me personally, Coach DeBoer means a lot because he cares for each and every one of us genuinely. He makes sure that we’re OK outside of football. He wants us to be our best and he continues to push us to be our best.

“And just for the program, it’s his first season and for him to come in and to do what he’s doing as a head coach, it’s just a blessing to him. And for me as a player to see what he’s doing, I’m just happy for him.”

Alabama was able to walk off of Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium with a 14-point win over its in-state rival on Saturday night. Getting a taste of the hate these two programs have for each other, DeBoer was still all smiles when recapping the victory behind the lectern.

“It was a fun night for our guys winning the Iron Bowl,” DeBoer said. “It’s a big deal, as everyone knows. For us, we did the things we needed to do to (give) ourselves a chance to win.”

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