Alabama football’s history with second-year coaches is one thing.
Four Crimson Tide coaches had 10 wins or more in their second seasons. One finished with an SEC championship appearance. And none finished with a national title or a conference championship.
Kalen DeBoer’s history of second seasons is another thing entirely.
DeBoer has two seasons of 10 wins or more.
DeBoer has two conference championships.
DeBoer has two national championship appearances and one national championship win.
Here’s what DeBoer’s career has looked like in his second seasons as a head coach ahead of heading into year two at Alabama.
DeBoer was not new to Sioux Falls, having been the offensive coordinator with the Cougars from 2000-04. But he began a new era at Sioux Falls in his second season as its head coach.
After a 2005 season that ended with an 11-2 record and a NAIA quarterfinal appearance, DeBoer led the Cougars to a perfect season in 2006, giving Sioux Falls its second NAIA national championship, and the program’s first since 1996.
Under DeBoer, Sioux Falls was dominant. One of the Cougars’ regular-season wins — a 17-14 win against Northwestern — was decided by less than 24 points. Both the NAIA semifinal win against Missouri Valley and the championship against Saint Francis were decided by less than 10 points.
DeBoer’s 2006 season sparked a run of four national championship game appearances and three national championship wins. In five seasons with the Cougars, DeBoer had a record of 67-3.
After DeBoer’s COVID-19-shortened first season at Fresno State, the Bulldogs showed a path to resurgence in 2021.
DeBoer led Fresno State to its first winning season since 2018, winning nine of 12 games. The Bulldogs had wins against No. 13 UCLA and No. 20 San Diego State,
Two of Fresno State’s three losses were dedicated by seven points or less, one of which came at No. 12 Oregon.
Fresno State went on to beat UTEP 31-24 in the New Mexico Bowl. But DeBoer was not on the sideline, having already accepted the Washington head coaching job.
After an 11-2 first year at Washington, one that included back-to-back road losses to UCLA and Arizona State by eight points or less, DeBoer led the Huskies to its first national championship game in program history.
While Washington was recognized as national champions in 1960 and 1991 by various publications, the Huskies’ first national championship game appearance came after the Huskies dominated the Pac-12, securing its first conference championship since 2018.
Washington beat Texas 37-31 in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Sugar Bowl before losing to Michigan 34-13 in the final.
Days after Washington’s national championship game appearance, DeBoer was in Tuscaloosa, having accepted the Alabama head coach job.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him atcgay@gannett.com or follow him@_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
