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When someone becomes head coach at a high-profile and hyper-scrutinized program, it is all too easy to put on a face and adapt to the personalities around them. Alabama football head coach Kalen DeBoer is not one to change his tune just because he is in a new environment. What you see is what you get.
The ability to maintain a similar disposition regardless of the situation speaks to a great deal of mental fortitude, something that a HC must have in spades in order to survive in Tuscaloosa. Possessing the necessary confidence it takes to win over one of the most passionate fan bases in the country while also exuding likability is a challenging combination to obtain.
But Crimson Tide defensive coordinator Kane Wommack considers DeBoer to have mastered that rare mixture of traits.
“One of the things that has always impressed me about Kalen is, whether you’re game planning, or hanging out on your back porch at the pool, or you’re in the fourth quarter in the middle of a big game, he’s the same guy,” Wommack said, per AL.com's Nick Kelly. “That is a superpower.”
Being comfortable in his own skin is a quality that will serve DeBoer well in the house that Bear Bryant built and Nick Saban refurnished. Composure is an ideal remedy for the suffocating amount of pressure that typically accompanies the Alabama football brand. Moreover, the 2023 AP Coach of the Year inspires those around him.
Kalen DeBoer and Kane Wommack link back up at Alabama football
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Kalen DeBoer and Kane Wommack served coordinator roles at Indiana University during the 2019 season and obviously formed a lasting bond. The former went on to lead Fresno State and Washington, and the latter just ended a three-year stint as HC for the South Alabama Jaguars. The allure of reuniting with DeBoer in one of the most revered athletic institutions in America was strong enough for Wommack to leave his post.
“Loved my time at South Alabama,” he said. “I enjoyed being a head coach. But I think some of those things, right, being in the foxhole with him, seeing the confidence that he carries day in and day out is something that I wanted to be a part of his staff here as well. I’m excited to go through the foxhole again with him.”
No one can replace Saban, but fans should feel optimistic after hearing such a glowing and unique review. With a national championship appearance to his name, DeBoer already has the credentials worthy of a major coaching job. And based on Wommack's experiences with him, he seems to have the right temperament as well.
Kalen DeBoer's Alabama debut comes this Saturday in a home matchup versus Western Kentucky. The time for validating all the compliments and positive vibes starts now.
