Background and career
Kalen Douglas DeBoer (born October 24, 1974) is an American college football coach. He is the head football coach at the University of Alabama, a position he has held since 2024. DeBoer also served as the head football coach at the University of Sioux Falls from 2005 to 2009, California State University, Fresno from 2020 to 2021, and the University of Washington from 2022 to 2023. At Sioux Falls, his teams won three NAIA Football National Championships, in 2006, 2008, and 2009. At Washington, he led the 2023 Washington Huskies football team to a Pac-12 Conference title and an appearance in the College Football Playoff, where Washington defeated Texas in the 2024 Sugar Bowl before losing to Michigan in the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship.
Born and raised in Milbank, South Dakota, DeBoer graduated from Milbank High School. After a redshirt year at Western Washington University, attended the University of Sioux Falls, DeBoer played at wide receiver from 1993 to 1996 for the Sioux Falls Cougars under head coach Bob Young, setting school records for receptions (234), receiving yardage (3,400) and touchdown catches (33) and earned All-American honors. DeBoer was a student assistant at Sioux Falls in 1997 after his football playing career ended working with the wide receivers, and he graduated in 1998 with a bachelor's degree in secondary education. Following DeBoer's graduation he signed with the semipro Sioux Falls Falcons alongside his former quarterback at Sioux Falls, Kurtiss Riggs. After one season, he signed with the Sioux Falls Cobras of the Indoor Football League (IFL). In his first game with the Cobras he caught two touchdown passes. The team finished his first season with an 8–6 record. In 2001, the team rebranded to the Sioux Falls Storm and moved to the National Indoor Football League (NIFL). In his last season with the team he helped lead them to a 7–7 record and an appearance in the NIFL semifinal. DeBoer also played baseball at Sioux Falls, hitting .520 with 10 home runs and 34 RBIs in his senior season of 1997. In 1998, he played one season of independent league baseball with the Canton Crocodiles as a left fielder. He also played one season for the Renner Monarchs.
After graduating from the University of Sioux Falls, DeBoer remained in the city of Sioux Falls, South Dakota as an assistant coach at Washington High School. After two years at Washington, DeBoer reunited with Bob Young and returned to his alma mater as offensive coordinator, a position he held from 2000 to 2004. During his tenure as an assistant football coach, he also served as an assistant baseball coach. Following Young's retirement, Sioux Falls promoted DeBoer to head coach on December 1, 2004. As head coach from 2005 to 2009, DeBoer had a record of 67–3 and won three NAIA national championships in 2006, 2008, and 2009 and a runner-up appearance in 2007. Two of DeBoer's losses at Sioux Falls came at the hands of Mike Van Diest's national title-winning Carroll Fighting Saints squads in 2005 and 2007. DeBoer was the offensive coordinator at Southern Illinois from 2010 to 2013 under Dale Lennon. He held the same position at Eastern Michigan University from 2014 to 2016 under Chris Creighton, at Fresno State from 2017 to 2018 under Jeff Tedford, and most recently at Indiana under Tom Allen in 2019. The Hoosiers averaged 433.2 yards per game under DeBoer, ranking third in the Big Ten for the season.
In 2020, DeBoer was hired as the head football coach at Fresno State. In the COVID-19 pandemic shortened season, he led the Bulldogs to a 3–3 record. In the 2021 season, he led Fresno State to a 9–3 regular season record. The season was highlighted with ranked victories over UCLA and San Diego State. The Bulldogs qualified for the New Mexico Bowl, where they defeated UTEP 31–24.
On November 29, 2021, DeBoer was hired as the head football coach at the University of Washington.
In his first season with Washington, DeBoer led the team to a 10–2 regular season record. The season was highlighted with victories over ranked teams Michigan State, Oregon State, and Oregon. DeBoer was named Pac-12 Coach of the Year for the 2022 season. The Huskies finished the season with a 27–20 win over Texas in the Alamo Bowl, finishing 11–2.
