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The Alabama Crimson Tide are reportedly negotiating with Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer to replace retiring seven-time national champion Nick Saban, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to ESPN on Friday (January 12).
DeBoer is days removed from a loss to Michigan in the College Football Playoff Final on Monday (January 8), which followed an undefeated season and Pac-12 championship. The 49-year-old would inherit a team that was one game away from the College Football Playoff Final, having made its record eighth appearance before lost to Michigan, 27-20, in the Rose Bowl College Football Semifinal in Pasadena, California.
Washington athletic director Troy Dannen reportedly made an aggressive pitch to keep DeBoer, which would've made him one of the 10 highest-paid coaches in college football and doubled his current annual salary of $4.2 million, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to ESPN's Pete Thamel.
DeBoer, who previously coached at Sioux Falls (2005-09) and Fresno State (2020-21), has a career head coaching record of 104-12, which includes a combined 25-3 (16-2 Pac-12) record during the past two seasons at Washington. Saban, who also coached the NFL's Miami Dolphins for two seasons prior to being hired by the Crimson Tide in 2007, won six national championships and nine SEC championships during his 17 seasons at Alabama, having previously led SEC West rival LSU to a BCS national championship in 2003 and two SEC titles in 2001 and 2003. The West Virginia native concludes his collegiate coaching career with a 292-71-1 overall record, which includes one season at Toledo, five seasons at Michigan State and five seasons at LSU.