UW's football coach Kalen DeBoer discusses Dawgs at Kitsap Athletic Roundtable event
Hired as University of Washington head football coach in late November, Kalen DeBoer learned how to contort his fingers when needing to flash the letter "W" when in the presence of Husky fans.
The 47-year-old found himself in such company on Saturday at Kitsap Golf & Country Club as DeBoer served as guest speaker during a Kitsap Athletic Roundtable dinner gathering that drew over 150 attendees.
Making the transition from head coach at Fresno State University to the leader of the Dawgs meant DeBoer got a quick education on late fall weather in the Pacific Northwest.
"I learned quickly where the windshield wipers were on my car," DeBoer said.
Over the years, the Kitsap Athletic Roundtable has typically put in requests to have UW head football coaches serve as speakers at events. It's believed that DeBoer is the first coach to accept an invitation since Tyrone Willingham in 2005.
DeBoer said it was a case of the timing working out. His wife and two daughters won't join him in Seattle until later this spring, so he's made speaking to the Husky fanbase this winter a priority.
"I've been trying to get out and meet as many people as I can," DeBoer said. "We are going to start spring practices pretty soon, so it will fall off a little bit. But between alumni and donors and different service organizations, I've been trying to do as much as possible. You are meeting people that are so passionate."
Landing one of the prime coaching positions in the Pac-12 Conference, DeBoer explained that his journey in college football is all about relationships. A native of South Dakota, he earned All-American honors as a wide receiver at the University of Sioux Falls and spent a season as a student assistant coach in 1997. He spent the next two years as an assistant coach at Washington High School.
"I loved coaching high school," DeBoer said. "It was the biggest high school in the state, so you had some of the best coaches in the state. I got asked to be the head sophomore coach right away. I could have done it forever, but then my alma mater came calling and my head coach and I couldn't say no to him."
In 2000, DeBoer joined his college coach Bob Young at Sioux Falls and spent the next four years as offensive coordinator. When Young retired in 2005, DeBoer became head coach and won three NAIA championships in four years.
DeBoer had a run of offensive coordinator jobs at several programs, including Southern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Indiana and Fresno State, eventually landing the Fresno State head coaching job in 2020. The Bulldogs finished 9-3 in 2021, beating one Pac-12 opponent in UCLA, 40-37 and nearly knocking off another, Oregon, falling 30-27.
UW came calling in November, hiring DeBoer to replace Jimmy Lake after a 4-8 season. It's the type of job that has DeBoer hoping Seattle might be the final stop in his coaching career, allowing his family to settle down.
"I'm thinking we're there," DeBoer said. "I'm thinking we're there."
As difficult as it can be for college coaches to work their way up the ladder, DeBoer said he wouldn't change his coaching journey one bit. It's allowed him to cultivate relationships with other coaches, some of whom have joined him as assistants at UW.
"I've been able to identify who the great coaches are, and now being here, I know I've got the right group," he said.
During his slideshow presentation Saturday, DeBoer showed a photo of the tunnel that Husky players pass through prior to entering the field. On the wall is a quote: THE PACK IS LOYAL TO THE DAWG and THE DAWG IS LOYAL TO THE PACK.
"That's what comes to mind when I sit here with you today and I hear about everyone who's been a Dawg supporter for so long. We aren't running alone as a football team because we have all of you. That's something I knew all along coming here, that there was a strong base of fans and proud alumni. I feel it every day."
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: DeBoer discusses Dawgs at Kitsap Athletic Roundtable event
