Alabama Football: Getting to know Kalen DeBoer and his Washington assistants

DeBoer's overall head coaching record is 104-12, with a four-season FBS record (Fresno State and Washington) of 37-9. At Fresno State and Washington DeBoer's teams were 12-2 against Top 25 teams. DeBoer's record against Steve Sarkisian is 2-0 and against Dan Lanning, DeBoer is 3-0.

Potential Alabama Football Assistants (from the Washington staff)

• Offensive Coordinator and QB Coach, Ryan Grubb. Nick Saban wanted to hire Grubb before hiring Tommy Rees. If Washington does not offer Grubb the head coach job, his working relationship with DeBoer at multiple schools could lead him to Tuscaloosa. More on Ryan Grubb

• Co-Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach, William Inge. Like Ryan Grubb, Inge was with DeBoer at Fresno State.

• Co-Defensive Coordinator and Safeties Coach, Chuck Morrell. Morrell also worked for DeBoer at Fresno State and was a college teammate of the new Crimson Tide head coach.

• Special Teams Coordinator/Edge Coach, Eric Schmidt. Like the other assistants, Schmidt worked on DeBoer's staff at Fresno State.

• Associate Head Coach. Passing Game Coordinator, Wide Receivers Coach, JaMarcus Shepard. Before joining DeBoer's Washington staff in 2022, Shepard spent five seasons as a Purdue assistant. He also worked as an assistant coach at Washington State and Western Kentucky.

• Defensive Line Coach, Inoke Breckterfield. Breckterfield joined DeBoer at Washington in the 2022 season. Before Washington, he was a d-line coach at Vanderbilt, Wisconsin, Pittsburgh, UCLA, Montana, and Weber State. He played in college at Oregon State and was coached by former Alabama Crimson Tide player, Mike Riley.

• Cornerbacks Coach, Julius Brown. Brown is another assistant who coached for DeBoer at Fresno State. Before Fresno State, he was an assistant at Boise State and Utah State.

• Offensive Line Coach, Scott Huff. Huff is a seven-season Washington assistant, retained by DeBoer in 2022. Before Washington, Huff coached for Chris Peterson at Boise State. Huff also was a special teams coach and Co-Offensive Coordinator on some of Peterson's Boise State teams. Washington's offensive line won the 2023 Joe Moore Award, as college football's top offensive line.

• Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs Coach, Lee Marks. Marks has been an assistant for DeBoer at Fresno State and Washington.

• Tight Ends Coach, Nick Sheridan. Sheridan's connection with DeBoer goes back to 2019 when both were on the Indiana staff. Sheridan has also been an Offensive Coordinator and Quarterback coach.

Joining Alabama Football?

If he does not become the head coach at Washington, it seems clear Ryan Grubb will join DeBoer at Alabama. Scott Huff can be predicted to follow DeBoer. There is so much history, that it is possible close to the entire group relocates to Tuscaloosa. Alabama needs a wide receivers coach, so JaMarcus Shepard might be the best bet to follow DeBoer.

SEC region, recruiting connections would be a major weakness without some of Saban's assistants. No matter how good Deboer's guys are, Alabama losing Travaris Robinson would be a major blow.

DeBoer can be expected to make decisions quickly. The Crimson Tide has a Junior Day on January 20, and most of the new staff needs to be in place. There is also the issue of loose ends for National Signing Day on Feb. 7.

For the Alabama fans yet to be enthused by the hiring of Kalen DeBoer, Greg Byrne has brought to Alabama the winner of five, 2023 major Coach of the Year awards. DeBoer won the AFCA, AP, Eddie Robinson, Home Depot, and Walter Camp COTY awards. What more could we want?