DeBoer on embracing Saban’s legacy – ‘Just building on it’

Kalen DeBoer is navigating his first full offseason as the head coach of Alabama in the SEC. It’s a significant adjustment, involving the assembly of a new staff, recruiting in the South, enduring the intense heat of a brutal Alabama summer, and much more.

But it’s the media obligations of the leader of an SEC program that can really make your head spin if you’re new to it.

SEC spring meetings in Destin is always the appetizer to SEC Media Days in July, which this year will be held in Dallas.

DeBoer was asked about the challenge of replacing Nick Saban. He gave a thought provoking answer:

Kalen DeBoer reflects on how he’s approached the challenge of replacing Nick Saban as head coach of Alabama Football, during SEC spring meetings on Tuesday pic.twitter.com/VdCytFeh7K

— Alabama Crimson Tide | AL.com (@aldotcomTide) May 28, 2024

“I think it’s all about being excited to be here because of what this program has accomplished over not just the last 17 years but many, many decades,” DeBoer said.

“And just building on it. I think there’s always areas and ways that you can take the foundation that’s there and add to it in your own way. It’s been awesome embracing everything that coach Saban has done for this program and celebrating what he’s accomplished.”

DeBoer went on to acknowledge the fact that Saban recruited almost all of the current roster and that’s a factor as well in terms of the transition.

“We have a whole roster of players that was recruited obviously to play for Alabama but to play for coach Saban. So I understand that fully and I wanna make sure that connection is always there and they can reach out to the coach that recruited them at the beginning,” he said.

“Also to let coach Saban know he has an open door to the program as well. I’ve referred to it as ‘our program’, and when I say ‘our’, it’s all those people that have been a part of it for many years, which of course includes coach Saban.”