Dating back to 1936, when the “Poll Era” of NCAA Football began, no school has won more National Championships than the University of Alabama. The Tide's 13 titles in that span are five more than the next closest team (Notre Dame), and two Alabama head coaches (Bear Bryant and Nick Saban) are each responsible for six titles, more than all but four other programs in that now nearly 90 year stretch of modern college football.

With the January departure of Nick Saban as Alabama's head coach, it's former Fresno State and Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer who is the next man up to take on the responsibility of leading the prestigious college football program in the sport's history. Quite a come up for a 49-year-old Milbank, South Dakota native who has spent only four season as a head coach.

Last week, DeBoer made an appearance on “The Ryen Russillo Podcast” to discuss his feelings about the opportunity to coach the Tide, the initial reaction to his hire, and the expectations that come with coaching in Tuscaloosa.

“It’s an honor, for sure,” Kalen DeBoer shared with Ryen Russillo. “When my family and I landed in Tuscaloosa that night, it felt like thousands of people there to celebrate this opportunity.”

It's understandable why Crimson Tide fans would be eager to celebrate the arrival of their next head coach. The job of replacing Nick Saban wouldn't be easy for anyone, but Kalen DeBoer, despite having only four years of head coaching experience at the Division I level, certainly has the sort of CV that folks in Alabama would approve of. In just two seasons at the University of Washington, DeBoer turned a program that appeared to be in decline after the departure of head coach Chris Petersen into one that reached the National Championship Game for the first time since 1991.

“It’s fun right now in May. For example, about every night, three to four times a week? You get a chance to get out and seeing the excitement around this program and what it’s built up to be. It’s just a pleasure to be around all these people,” DeBoer said. “The spring game was a great example. 72,000 people there celebrating our team, celebrating this program. I can go on and on.”

Things may be rosy in Tuscaloosa right now, but as DeBoer referenced, it's only May, and the Tide's record is a tidy 0-0. Once the season starts, if the standard that Nick Saban and Bear Bryant set in the past isn't met too soon, no pun intended, the tide could turn quickly, because DeBoer knows what football in the state of Alabama means.

“Man, you know, you realize what football means to the state of Alabama, what this program means, and how it’s such a great, uniting piece that just brings everyone together, not just on Saturdays but year-round.”