The Huskies need a head coach after Kalen DeBoer accepted Alabama’s offer to replace Nick Saban. One potential candidate fits the DeBoer model.
His arrival 774 days ago generated little fanfare. His departure is the biggest story in the sport.
Kalen DeBoer, who lifted Washington from four wins to the cusp of a national championship in two seasons, accepted Alabama’s offer on Friday.
Credit the Crimson Tide for hiring a first-class coach and DeBoer for agreeing to replace a legend (Nick Saban).
But our focus is on Montlake. The Huskies are in need of a head coach as they transition into the Big Ten and replenish a roster whacked by departures for the NFL Draft.
Just 96 hours removed from the biggest stage, UW is picking up the pieces and wondering what comes next.
And we have a question — several questions, actually.
Did Washington president Ana Mari Cauce and new athletic director Troy Dannen do everything possible to keep DeBoer? The school offered him $9 million annually, according to sources. Had the Huskies gone to $11 million, would he have stayed? Was there another component to the negotiations that fell short?
Or was the lure of Alabama simply too great? Were the Huskies doomed the moment Saban announced his retirement? And if not Alabama, would DeBoer have bolted for Michigan if Jim Harbaugh left for the NFL?
We don’t know the answers, at least not yet. Important context is likely to surface in the next 48 hours, and Cauce — to a greater extent than Dannen, who was hired in October — owes Washington fans an explanation. Did she drop DeBall with DeBoer?
Other questions in the wake of DeBoer’s departure:
Clearly, they should turn to former coach Chris Petersen — for advice, not to return to the sideline. His counsel will be crucial as Dannen embarks on a coaching search that must be completed in short order.
