TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Kalen DeBoer stood at a lectern, only a few feet from Nick Saban, and enthusiastically embraced the chance to both replace and learn from his larger-than-life predecessor.
The outsized expectations Saban leaves behind are a big part of that.
The former Washington coach, hired two days after Saban's retirement, said he's giving the 72-year-old ex-coach “100 percent access” to his program — saying he'd "be a fool not to” — and that Saban firmly wants the Crimson Tide's success to continue. All that makes it easier to be the guy who replaces the guy who brought six national championships to Tuscaloosa in 17 years.