The University of Alabama has a special group of young men that Kalen DeBoer gets to coach in football.
Many of them could have pursued the NCAA transfer portal after Nick Saban announced his retirement on Jan. 10, but they remained with the program. These players wanted to see what Coach DeBoer offered, and they have an opportunity to make DeBoer a national champion in his first year at Alabama. The 49-year-old is a man of faith, family, and football and players have embraced all levels of his personality. Three athletes, including a quarterback, receive a unique leadership award Sunday from Calvary Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa, Ala.