Despite missing the College Football Playoffs in his first year as the Alabama head coach, Kalen DeBoer “actually handled (Year 1) properly from a strategic standpoint,” says college football analyst Josh Pate.

DeBoer took Washington to the championship game in his second season as head coach. Is it realistic to expect the same thing at Alabama?

When Kalen DeBoer was introduced as Alabama football’s head coach one year ago, he did not make specific proclamations about his first season.

Alabama football landed at No. 17 in the final coaches poll top 25 of the 2024 season. The Crimson Tide finished off Kalen DeBoer’s first season 9-4 after losing the ReliaQuest Bowl to Michigan. Five coaches left UA out of the top 25 entirely. DeBoer, also a voter in the poll, put his team a bit higher than the average.

After finishing the season 9-4 with losses to Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Michigan, the Crimson Tide was listed as the No. 17 team in the final US LBM Coaches Poll released Tuesday. In his final coaches poll of the season, Kalen DeBoer had the Crimson Tide a bit higher.

Washington improved. It won 14 games in 2023, beating Texas again in the College Football Playoff in the Sugar Bowl before losing to Michigan in the CFP national championship game. Days later, DeBoer was named as Nick Saban's successor with Alabama football.

Here’s what Kalen DeBoer’s career has looked like in his second seasons as a head coach ahead of heading into year two at Alabama.