Greg Byrne is Kalen DeBoer's kingmaker. DeBoer was a successful head coach at Washington before the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself. Byrne knew Nick Saban was going to retire eventually. He chose the former Huskies head coach over a few other candidates for several reasons. Whether it was DeBoer's pleasant disposition, coaching acumen, or winning nature, stability always came first.
Byrne appeared on The Triple Option last week to explain his unwavering support of DeBoer, as well as why he already gave him a contract extension. DeBoer was extended back in April to give him two more years on his deal with Alabama. He is now under contract through Jan. 31, 2033. DeBoer will be making $12.5 million annually after his first two years on the job, despite only going 20-8 at Alabama.
Byrne did not beat around this bush by saying stability was the driving force behind the big extension.
“I really felt [he] had the demeanor, had the coaching chops and history to come and navigate this world," Byrne said. "Kalen and his staff are recruiting at a very high level. We got to make sure we continue to tweak it to give us the best opportunity for long-term success. And we needed Kalen to lead that, not have instability, not have our third head coach in four years. That’s not good for anybody.”
Byrne inherited Saban coming over from Arizona, but he saw firsthand how important stability is for a program. The best teams are the ones that are most properly aligned from top down. Saban was the undisputed straw that stirred the drink in Tuscaloosa from 2007 to 2023. DeBoer may have been tasked with the impossibility of replacing a legend, but he has the right boss backing him up in Byrne.
Here is everything Byrne said about DeBoer's first few years at Alabama while on The Triple Option.
Without debate, the last thing Byrne wants is for another Alabama head-coaching search to happen.
Alabama is not interested in another coaching search under Greg Byrne
To be fair, most people would crumble under the pressure of replacing an icon in their field. Ray Perkins succeeded Paul "Bear" Bryant at his alma mater in the mid-1980s, but only lasted four years. DeBoer is embarking on year three at the helm of this program. Only two years in, he has guided the Crimson Tide into the College Football Playoff, winning a postseason game on the road, nonetheless.
What troubles some Alabama fans is the 20-8 overall record through his first two seasons. DeBoer will more than occasionally lose the games Saban never would. This would include the Florida State road defeat last year, as well as the stumbles versus Oklahoma and Vanderbilt two seasons ago. DeBoer has to stop that for the Crimson Tide faithful to rally behind him like his athletic director already has.
Saban would occasionally lose to a team of quality, but it was often at a championship setting. Look no further than 2021 Georgia for a national championship, or 2023 Michigan in the Rose Bowl, in what was his final game leading Alabama. DeBoer has a long way to go to even be mentioned in the same conversations as Saban, but he has good vibes. More importantly, he has a boss who believes in him.
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DeBoer may never be able to match what Saban did at Alabama. No one will. However, he does provide Byrne exactly what he wants out of the head-coaching position. That would be stability. Water is finding its level under DeBoer sooner than expected. The floor appears to be nine wins a season. The big question now is if the ceiling is that of a national championship-contender or not.
At this time, Byrne has made his Alabama bed with DeBoer over stability, so now he must lie in it.
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