The Spin Zone: New Alabama Coach Kalen DeBoer Pivots Off Loss Of Players To Portal Post-Saban

Apparently, new Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer is no greenhorn amid all the Crimson.

After losing three top Alabama players from last season and the No. 3 quarterback in the nation from the class of 2024 to the NCAA Transfer Portal in a week, DeBoer sounded like all is well Friday afternoon.

Just a week ago Wednesday, Alabama coach Nick Saban retired. Few thought so many key players would follow him.

"I'm really not alarmed at all," DeBoer said on the Paul Finebaum Show.

Well, one week on the job after leaving Washington, and he knows how to spin the news like the best of Southeastern Conference coaches.

New Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer (left) reached the CFP national championship game last season with Washington before losing to Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh on Jan. 8 at NRG Stadium in Houston. (Photo By Kirby Lee of USA TODAY Sports).

Earlier Friday, DeBoer lost five-star Alabama signee quarterback Julian Sayin (6-foot-1, 195 pounds) to the portal. Sayin signed with Saban during the early period last month and was listed as an early enrollee out of Carlsbad High in California. The 247 Sports recruiting website listed him as the No. 3 quarterback in the nation and No. 21 national recruit.

But Sayin's likely departure came on the heels of DeBoer getting his own player from the portal - Washington quarterback Austin Mack (6-6, 226) on Thursday. Mack red-shirted at Washington in the 2023 season behind Heisman Trophy runner-up Michael Penix Jr.

Kalen DeBoer Got Washington QB Before Julian Sayin's Exit

Mack signed at Washington as the No. 8 quarterback in the nation and No. 73 prospect overall out of Folsom High School in Folsom, California, for the 2023 class. DeBoer's plan - had he stayed at Washington - was to groom Mack in 2024 behind Mississippi State transfer quarterback Will Rogers. Rogers is not expected to stay at Washington nor come to Alabama.

DeBoer's biggest losses as Alabama's incoming coach happened last week and earlier this week when sophomore wide receiver Isaiah Bond, national freshman of the year safety Caleb Downs and All-SEC freshman offensive tackle Cadyn Proctor all entered the portal. Bond is headed for Texas, while Downs is going to Ohio State.

Alabama has also lost another early enrollee this month into school in addition to Sayin. That is four-star wide receiver Jameer Grimsley (6-3, 185) of Tampa Catholic High in Florida. He has entered the transfer portal after signing with Alabama last month as the No. 18 receiver nationally and No. 240 overall prospect.

Former Washington coach Kalen DeBoer brought a Husky QB to Alabama (Getty Images)

Alabama Coach Went Through Similar Issues At Washington

"I was just through this two years ago," said DeBoer, who left Fresno State's head coaching job after two seasons to become Washington's head coach after the 2021 season. "And this is a much better situation than even that one was with the number of players leaving. We just stay the course. It's just the world we live in right now. Naturally, you expect that this is going to happen to some extent."

If DeBoer is comparing the number of players he lost coming into Washington two years ago to the numbers he has lost so far at Alabama, he is spinning. Because that is not correct, according to reporters who covered Washington at the time. Washington had minimal transfers upon DeBoer entering the scene.

Kalen DeBoer yells at an official during Washington's loss to Michigan in the national championship game in Houston on Jan. 8. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Now, he may have been comparing Alabama as a program overall now to Washington following the 2021 season with his above comment. The Huskies finished 4-8 overall and 3-6 in the Pac-12 in 2021, and Washington fired coach Jimmy Lake. No. 4 Alabama finished the 2023 season at 12-2 and in the College Football Playoffs with a 27-20 loss in overtime to No. 1 Michigan. The Wolverines beat DeBoer's Washington team a week later, 34-13, for the national title.

"You roll up your sleeves," DeBoer said. "And there's such a great group of leaders here in this program that want to uphold the standard of Alabama football. And they are sticking together, and we want those guys that want to be here. They're working through all the noise that's out there. And I just couldn't be more proud of them being intentional on trying to keep it tight and together. A lot of these guys came here to leave a legacy and build on a legacy. There's unfinished business."

There is much unfinished business for DeBoer with his roster as well as his staff as he tries to replace Nick Saban.

Kalen DeBoer Bringing Many Washington Coaches To Alabama

Alabama is waiting to announce his new staff as an entire group, but sources have confirmed DeBoer's hiring of virtually his entire offensive staff from Washington. Those are offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, offensive line coach Scott Huff, wide receivers coach JaMarcus Shephard and tight ends coach Nick Sheridan.

Kane Wommack confirmed early this week that he was leaving the South Alabama head coaching job to become DeBoer's new defensive coordinator. South Alabama offensive coordinator Major Applewhite, a former Alabama offensive coordinator under Saban, has replaced Wommack as head coach.

"I really feel like we're in a great spot," Kalen DeBoer said. "We'll get the right people in the program, whether it's staff, whether it's players."

NCAA Transfer Portal Tough On Alabama Crimson Tide

Opposing programs can flock to Alabama's roster for transfers through the special, 30-day window outside of the regular transfer portal windows because of Saban's departure. Meanwhile, Alabama can also hunt the programs that just lost coaches. That includes Washington, Arizona, San Jose State and South Alabama. The next portal window for all programs runs from April 16-30.

In addition to Mack, DeBoer is expected to land two of Washington's top starters from their 14-1 team in wide receiver Germie Bernard (6-1, 203) and center Parker Brailsford (6-2, 275).

Bernard caught 34 passes for 419 yards and two touchdowns last season as a sophomore. Brailsford started two games at right guard and 13 at center as a freshman. He finished as a semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander national player of the year behind Downs, who won it. Brailsford was also a consensus freshman All-American and second team All-Pac-12 player.

"This place has got the best facilities, the best resources in the entire country," DeBoer spun on.