Nate Oats provides advice to incoming Alabama football coach Kalen DeBoer

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama’s search appears to be nearing its close as the Crimson Tide is negotiating a contract with Kalen DeBoer to become its next football coach following the retirement of Nick Saban.

While a deal has yet to be finalized, the expectation is that Alabama athletic athletics director Greg Byrne will bring in his man well within the 72-hour window he gave Crimson Tide players following news of Saban’s retirement Wednesday.

DeBoer is just the type of surprise hire Bryne is known for making. While he emerged as a leader for the job over the past 24 hours, his name wasn’t one of the first many thought of immediately after Saban’s retirement.

There’s no debating the DeBoer’s success on the field. He coached Washington to a 25-3 record during his two seasons in Seattle. That included a 14-1 record the past season as he led the Huskies to a Pac-12 title and a Suger Bowl victory before losing to Michigan in the national championship game.

However, the 49-year-old Milbank South Dakota native has yet to work in the South in any of his previous stops. Before spending the past two seasons at Washington, DeBoer led Fresno State to a 12-6 record during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. He also served as a head coach at the NAIA level, leading his alma mater, Sioux Falls, to three national titles while posting a 67-3 record from 2005-09.

None of those spots are anywhere near the recruiting pipelines he’ll need to dominate with the Crimson Tide

Then again, that didn’t end up being a problem for Byrne’s last big hire at Alabama.

Byrne signed head basketball coach Nate Oats in 2019, bringing the Waterton, Wisconsin native in from Buffalo long before he knew how to order his grits.

Oats’ previous coaching history included four seasons as Buffalo’s head coach preceded by two as an assistant. Before that, he served as the head coach at Romulus High School in Detroit.

Oats’ lack of knowledge of Southern culture didn’t hinder him. Since coming to Alabama, he’s posted a 102-47 record while winning the SEC regular-season title and conference tournaments two times apiece.

Recruiting is a bit different on the hardwood than it is on the gridiron. However, if Alabama does bring in a football coach from far away, Oats has a bit of advice.

“Just got to be genuine,” Oats said. “I mean I think people from the North or South understand, they can see through fake, and they can see if you’re genuine. If you’re genuine, I think people down here in the South will welcome you in with open arms. Shoot, sure helps if you win, too."

Strategically speaking, Oats said his best move was retaining longtime Alabama assistant coach Antonie Pettway upon joining the Crimson Tide. Pettway, who left this past offseason to take the head coaching job at Kennesaw State, had been serving as an Alabama assistant since 2008.

The Camden, Alabama native played for the Crimson Tide from 2000 to 2004 and had a feel for the way the program needed to be run and more important a finger on the area’s recruiting scene.

It’s unknown how DeBoer will fill out his staff at Alabama. However, he’d likely be best suited to follow Oats’ advice.

Among Alabama’s current staff, cornerbacks coach Travaris Robinson stands out as someone DeBoer should consider keeping. The Miami native is viewed as one of the Crimson Tide’s top assistants and has extensive knowledge of the Southeast, playing at Auburn while making previous SEC coaching stops at Auburn, Florida and South Carolina.

Another possible retainee would be defensive line coach Freddie Roach, a Florence, Alabama native who played linebacker for the Crimson Tide from 2002 to 2005. Roach is in his third stint with Alabama, most recently coming to the Crimson Tide from Ole Miss.

Oats’ final suggestion to DeBoer — don’t mess up a good thing.

Assuming Alabama can hold on to the majority of its current players, the Crimson Tide should have one of the most talented rosters in the nation this season. Alabama is also bringing in the No. 3 recruiting class in the nation this year.

“Coach Saban put together an unbelievable recruiting class,” Oats said. “Whoever they get, if they keep the recruiting class together and win, everybody will welcome him in with open arms, I’m sure.”

Sounds simple enough, right?