Washington Hires Kalen DeBoer as Next Football Coach

DeBoer, 47, comes to Seattle from Fresno State, where he led the Bulldogs to a 9–3 record in 2021.

Two weeks after firing head coach Jimmy Lake following the coach's public shoving of a player on the sidelines, Washington has found its new head man.

The Huskies announced the hiring of Kalen DeBoer on Monday, luring the 47-year-old from Fresno State. The move was previously reported to be in the works by ESPN's Kyle Bonagura and Adam Rittenberg.

It’s official!

Husky Nation, @KalenDeBoer is the new head coach of Washington football! pic.twitter.com/GieBF7eCQ1

— Washington Football (@UW_Football) November 29, 2021

DeBoer just completed his second season at Fresno State, leading the Bulldogs to a 9–3 record. The team went 3–3 in his first season during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. Prior to his arrival in Fresno, DeBoer was the offensive coordinator at Indiana in 2019, and was previously an assistant at Fresno State, Eastern Michigan and Southern Illinois.

Before becoming an assistant coach at the FBS level, DeBoer was the head coach at Sioux Falls—his alma mater—in the NAIA, where he won three national championships.

In Fresno State's second game this season, the Bulldogs nearly upset Washington's arch rival Oregon, losing 31–24 in a game where Fresno State led midway through the fourth quarter and outgained the Ducks on offense. Oregon beat Washington this season for the third straight year and has won 15 of the last 17 meetings.

Since winning the Pac-12 in 2018 and appearing in the Rose Bowl, Washington is 15–14 with a 10–12 record in conference play.

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