How Kalen DeBoer is approaching his Alabama coaching debut

The first-year head coach, whose career featured stops at Sioux Falls, Indiana and Fresno State before leading Washington to a 25-3 record including a trip to last year’s national championship game, will soon begin the Alabama chapter of his career. The milestone moment has undoubtedly been on DeBoer’s mind since he accepted the role of replacing Nick Saban as the Crimson Tide’s next head coach in January. However, don’t expect much of a change in DeBoer’s mental approach this week.

“As much as this is a different setting for me, this is another football game, and every game is really big and important,” DeBoer said during his Monday press conference. “I think the spring game, for me, probably is one of those moments where you have some perspective on how far you’ve come as a team and where we’re at, but this is about playing our game and doing what we need to do and making sure we’re at the highest level possible.”

DeBoer isn’t just playing things cool. Ask first-year defensive coordinator Kane Wommack who marvels over the head coach’s ability to keep an even-keeled approach regardless of the situation.

“One of the things that has always impressed me about Kalen is, whether you’re game planning, or hanging out on your back porch at the pool, or you’re in the fourth quarter in the middle of a big game, he’s the same guy,” Wommack said Monday. “That is a superpower.”

The winner of three NAIA national titles and five total conference championships, DeBoer is no stranger to big games. While the head coach claims pre-game jitters have never been a problem for him, he isn’t shy to admit he’ll have a few butterflies before he takes the field inside Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday.

“It’s good to have like an excitement, just excited for the week. We talk to our guys about whether it’s nervousness or anxiety,” DeBoer said. “Butterflies, that’s not a bad thing, because it means it’s really important. It means that they’ve put a lot into it and they want to perform well.

“It always comes down to your preparation and you’ve prepared the best you can, and you know you’re ready more than your opponent and have done everything possible all week long as well as your teammates. When you’re prepared well, you’re going to be confident.”

Alabama wrapped up preseason camp with a few walkthroughs over the weekend. Those included everything from trips to the stadium from the team hotel as well as basics such as what side of the stadium the Tide’s benches are located.

While Saturday will mark DeBoer’s Alabama debut, it won’t be the first time he’s coached a game inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. That came in 2017 when he was serving as the offensive coordinator for Fresno State during a 41-10 loss to the Crimson Tide. DeBoer got a taste of what being on the right side of the Bryant-Denny faithful will be like during the A-Day game in the spring. However, he’s looking forward to getting a full dose of that feeling this weekend.

No. 5 Alabama will open its season against Western Kentucky on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.