Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne said he and outgoing head coach Nick Saban talked several times during the coaching search to find his replacement.
247Sports previously reported that Saban played a role behind-the-scenes in the coaching search to find the next Alabama head coach. Byrne said he wanted Saban involved in the process that ultimately resulted in the hiring of then-Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer.
“He was awesome,” Byrne said of Saban’s role during the search. “We talked several times during it. It would have been irresponsible on my part if I didn’t utilize Coach Saban in the search process.”Byrne said Saban and DeBoer spoke on the phone for the first time Friday morning and had “a really good conversation.” Saban already knew DeBoer when he tried to hire Ryan Grubb as his offensive coordinator last season and thought a lot of the Washington head coach.DeBoer has already acknowledged Saban’s involvement, saying he called him for advice as early as Saturday, a day after he officially agreed to replace college football’s greatest coach. The new Alabama head coach promised the old “100 percent approach” and hoped that Saban could give him at least one thing every day that could help him improve.andquot;I’m pretty confident in my abilities and I know you have someone who wants that program to be so successful,andquot; DeBoer talked about Saban’s involvement. andquot;I firmly believe, one hundred percent, that he wants nothing but the best. Some managers and some people when they leave are like and#039;Eh, you know what? I want to be that legend and I don’t want it to be as good as when I was there. and#039; Of course not, and I think you all know that. He wants this thing to be even better and we can always follow [him]. His legendary status will never be questioned.andquot;
Kalen DeBoer arrived at Alabama on Friday as a relative unknown to SEC fans accustomed to 17-year-old Nick Saban.The reigning winner of college football’s Coach of the Year award was asked Saturday after his induction news conference what his message would be to fans who are skeptical of his chances of success.andquot;I think you should be all in,andquot; he said. andquot;I had a coach that I really learned a lot from, and when we were once trying to put together a program, he told his guys not to dip their toes in the water to see how cold it is, right? Whether you’re in the pool or whatever.
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