The Alabama Crimson Tide didn't waste long in finding Nick Saban's successor, announcing former Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer as the program's newest HC on Friday.

On Saturday, the reigning national runner-up shared an interesting admission about switching from the Huskies to the Crimson Tide.

“This is one of a few places, maybe the only place I’d leave [Washington] for,” DeBoer explained on Saturday, according to Action Network's Brett McMurphy.

DeBoer had previously said in a statement that he “would not have left Washington for just any school,” but said the chance to coach Alabama “is the opportunity of a lifetime.”

The 72-year-old Saban announced his retirement from head coaching duties on Wednesday after winning seven national titles with the Crimson Tide over a long and storied coaching career.

DeBoer spent two seasons in Washington

Photo: Kalen DeBoer in Washington gear with CFP logo in the background

DeBoer, 49, led Washington to the national championship game in just his second season as coach. The former NAIA coach led the Huskies to a 14-1 record this year, losing to just Michigan in the final.

Washington won the Pac-12 championship, beat Texas in the CFP semis and suffered a disappointing 34-13 defeat to the No. 1 Wolverines in the title game. He was named The Associated Press coach of the year shortly after.

“DeBoer led the Huskies to a 25-3 record in two seasons after taking over a program that was 4-8 in 2021. He also has won national titles, albeit a few levels down in college football,” wrote AP's John Zenor.

“DeBoer led his alma mater, Sioux Falls, to a 67-3 record from 2005-09 and won three NAIA championships at the small, Baptist-affiliated school in South Dakota's largest city. He later had immediate success at Fresno State, going 12-6 from 2020-21, with nine wins in his second season. That's a career mark of 104-12 at all levels, or 89.7 per cent.”

Next season, Alabama will likely be led by quarterback Jalen Milroe along with a strong recruiting class that should have the program near the top of college football again in 2024.

And Kalen DeBoer will be in the middle of it — with big shoes to fill — as Alabama looks to return to the national championship for the first time since 2022.