Washington coach Kalen DeBoer shall be moving into the largest highlight in college football because the Huskies coach is on the verge of accepting the job as head soccer coach at Alabama, changing the legendary Nick Saban. DeBoer is 104-12 total in stops at Sioux Falls, Fresno State and Washington. He just lately capped an undefeated common season by main the Huskies to an look within the School Soccer Playoff Nationwide Championship the place they misplaced 34-13 to Michigan.
With DeBoer gone, consideration now turns to his substitute in Seattle. DeBoer was 25-3 in his two seasons main the Huskies, and whomever will get the job may have some huge sneakers to fill with the added strain of main this system into its first season as a Huge Ten member in 2024.
Traditionally, Washington hasn’t tried to make an enormous splash throughout its teaching searches. It promoted Jimmy Lake from inside after Chris Petersen stepped down following the 2019 season and employed DeBoer from Fresno State after DeBoer went 12-6 in two seasons with the Bulldogs.
Will athletic director Troy Dannen comply with the identical path? Or will Washington attempt to capitalize on its time within the nationwide highlight and rent a celebrity because it begins a brand new convention period? Let’s break down a number of the potential candidates to interchange DeBoer.
Ryan Grubb, Washington offensive coordinator: If Washington desires to maintain continuity, Dannen may simply stroll down the corridor, drop some containers off at Grubb’s door and ask him to maneuver to the top coach’s workplace. A protégé who labored with DeBoer in any respect three of his head-coaching stops, Grubb was the architect of a Washington offense that produced the highest passer within the nation, Michael Penix Jr., in consecutive years. Grubb is aware of this system inside and outside, is aware of the recruiting panorama and can possible maintain the identical philosophy that DeBoer succeeded with throughout his tenure. Paradoxically, Grubb really turned down Alabama final offseason after assembly with Saban in regards to the then-vacant offensive coordinator place with the Crimson Tide.
Chris Klieman, Kansas State coach: DeBoer is acknowledged as a “winner,” which is precisely what Klieman has been all through his teaching profession. He led the Wildcats to the 2022 Huge 12 title and has landed the Wildcats within the last AP prime 20 in every of the final two seasons. He received 4 FCS championships in his 5 seasons at North Dakota State (2014-18) after succeeding Craig Bohl, the architect of the Bison soccer dynasty. He is well-versed on the right way to maintain success with the highlight shining vibrant. Plus, a step up from the Huge 12 to the Huge Ten would function an enormous problem for any person who has handed each problem the teaching world has thrown his method.
Lance Leipold, Kansas coach: Like DeBoer, Leipold has been a winner all over the place he has coached. He led Wisconsin-Whitewater — one of many highest-profile packages on the Division III stage — to 6 nationwide titles in eight seasons. He jumped to Buffalo the place he received two MAC East titles and completed ranked No. 25 within the nation in 2020. He took over Kansas, one of many worst packages within the nation, and has led the Jayhawks to bowl video games in two of the final three seasons. Kansas completed 9-4 this previous season with a win within the Assured Price Bowl. Take into consideration that for a second: he made Kansas related. Not many coaches can do this.
Jedd Fisch, Arizona coach: Fisch went 1-11 in 2021 in his first season with an Arizona group that was a shambles following the Kevin Sumlin period. He shortly turned the Wildcats round to a 10-win group in 2023 that completed No. 11 within the AP Prime 25. What’s extra, he did it with huge harm points and was pressured to show to redshirt freshman quarterback Noah Fifita, who stepped as much as the problem and earned Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Yr honors along with his efficiency. Not dangerous, eh? The mixture of Fisch’s monitor document of success and Huge Ten sources that exist at Washington would make him an ideal rent for the Huskies.
Dave Clawson, Wake Forest coach: Clawson, the 2021 ACC Coach of the Yr, has loved exceptional success with the Demon Deacons, who weren’t precisely identified for his or her soccer prowess previous to his arrival. His slow-mesh offense led them to seven straight bowl video games (2016-22) and helped former quarterback Sam Hartman emerge as a celebrity. Clawson’s offense completed within the prime 4 within the ACC in six straight seasons (2017-22), and an improve in total group expertise would make him a success in Seattle.
Matt Campbell, Iowa State coach: It looks as if Campbell is included in each single candidate checklist. A transfer to Washington, nevertheless, makes a variety of sense. He has six bowl appearances in eight seasons at Iowa State (2016-23) and develops rosters higher than the vast majority of coaches within the recreation. Whereas Washington may not appear to be a geographical match, the mix of the varsity shifting to the Huge Ten and Campbell’s midwestern roots ought to at the least earn him a name from Dannen.
