Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer hiring seems like a home run, but attempting to replace Nick Saban is inherently risky

Two things can be true at the same time in evaluating Alabama’s hiring of Kalen DeBoer.

The Crimson Tide absolutely got the top name available. The fast-rising 49-year-old has proved his coaching chops in a short amount of time. He comes to T-Town tied for the sixth-best winning percentage of all active FBS coaches (.804).

DeBoer has upside for days. In his first two seasons at Washington, DeBoer was twice named Pac-12 Coach of the Year, taking the Huskies to the College Football Playoff National Championship this season. Home run with a .

Then there are these two words to consider: Bryan Harsin. That’s not meant to be harsh; it’s a reality that must be contemplated as Alabama moves from the greatest coach ever to his replacement.

The SEC — Bama in particular — doesn’t generally suffer newbies from the outside who have never coached in the Southeast. Not passing judgment; just passing along the facts.

Harsin is merely the latest example of an accomplished coach taking a job in the heart of the SEC despite not necessarily knowing the culture of the SEC.

This is not to say DeBoer will fail and be run out of town much the same way Harsin was at Auburn (taking a hearty $15 million buyout with him). It is a reminder that no one can replace Nick Saban. You shouldn’t have to be told that.

DeBoer admitted as much Saturday during his introductory press conference.

“He’s the best in the business who has ever done it,” DeBoer said of Saban. “I’m going to ask him that he shows up and gives me at least one thing that he sees that we can get better at.”

DeBoer looks like the right guy at the right time. Speaking with him earlier this week in Houston, it’s clear he has it. Still, the
job itself is almost impossible, at least in its current state with Saban only days removed from his chair.

The expectation that Saban left behind — national championship or bust — means anything less is a disappointment.

It’s also what pushed the great coach to retirement. He said as much in what amounted to an exit interview with ESPN’s Rece Davis.

“Can you sustain the season, just from a mental grind standpoint?” Saban asked rhetorically.

DeBoer no doubt knows the first rule of coaching that rattles around the synapses of everyone in the profession: Never be the guy to follow the guy.

Saban seems to be that guy who no guy can follow. Oregon‘s Dan Lanning and Texas‘ Steve Sarkisian got raises from simply having their names mentioned as options at Alabama.

DeBoer knows he just landed the best job in America. He knows he had to take the best job in America. Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne reportedly targeted him from the beginning.

In replacing Steve Spurrier at Florida in 2002, Ron Zook said something to this effect: What was I supposed to do, turn it down?

Three years later, Urban Meyer took over the Gators. Having lived and coached throughout the midwest before leading Utah, Meyer is perhaps the paradigm: proof an outsider can succeed in the Southeast.

History will reflect that, unlike Meyer (who himself got burnt out by the stressors of coaching in the SEC), Harsin never knew what he was getting into at Auburn. This despite the former Boise State coach being the top pick of then-Tigers AD Allen Greene. The two never meshed, and the end was as sad as burned brisket.

DeBoer links with Alabama more accomplished with a higher ceiling. He already has a strong reputation from his work with the transfer portal during this NL era.

Did the Milbank, South Dakota, native ever ask himself: Do I know what I’m getting into?

The last Alabama coach without SEC ties was Mike Price, who famously never made it to Week 1. He followed Dennis Franchione, another coach without such ties. Franchione went 17-8, leaving Bama for Texas A&M amid NCAA sanctions.

Every Tide coach between Paul “Bear” Bryant and Saban won 10 games at least once. That includes once — a long, long time ago (well, it feels like a long time ago) — in 1988 when Bill Curry claims a brick was thrown through his office window after an upset loss to Ole Miss. Go all the way back to Ray Perkins and ask him how it went replacing Bryant.

DeBoer could have stayed at Washington and competed for playoff berths each year. At Alabama, he must win at a time when it will be harder than ever to do so amid conference realignment and the expanded 12-team playoff.

Maybe that’s the ultimate point. DeBoer has the resources to compete for the title each year at Alabama. Now, he just has to learn and endure what it’s like when he does not.

Alabama just lost the greatest college football coach of all time — again. The hope is the Tide have already found the next one this time.