UW Coach Comparison: Bala Brings Substance Rather Than Long Service

The new Husky linebackers leader is watching his career begin to take off.

Robert Bala heads up the UW linebackers. / Skylar Lin Visuals

With the skepticism initially expressed by some people over the hiring of Kalen DeBoer as Alabama football coach -- like who is this guy and what's he ever really done to deserve this papal position? -- imagine the questions asked the year before when Robert Bala was named Crimson Tide linebackers coach.

Bala turned up at Alabama after coaching at low-profile Liberty as an analyst for just one year, this after even more obscure stops at places such as Southern Utah, Palomar and Ottawa, the latter in Kansas not Canada.

The good news for the University of Washington is he came to Montlake with an upgraded resume directly from Alabama. No questions asked. Fully SEC accredited. On his way as an FBS coach.

As we look at the new Husky coaching staff heading into fall camp, Bala, 37, was one of the few who didn't come with Jedd Fisch in the caravan from Arizona. He will replace William Inge, 50, who got a lot accomplished in his two seasons as the UW linebackers coach while doubling as a co-defensive coordinator. Inge helped turn Edefuan Ulofoshio into a first-team All-Pac-12 selection and fellow linebackers Alphonzo Tuputala, Carson Bruener and Cam Bright into All-Pac-12 honorable-mention picks.

Inge briefly turned up at Alabama, presumably to take Bala's job -- nearly becoming the only DeBoer defensive coach from the UW to join the head coach in Tuscaloosa -- before apparently receiving a better offer to become the Tennessee linebackers coach.

Bala likewise got caught up in some last-minute coaching horse-trading, accepting a job as Western Michigan defensive coordinator, having it publicly announced by the school and then giving up that opportunity for the UW.

"I just thought the opportunity here at Washington was something I couldn't pass up," Bala said. "Being a defensive coordinator is a goal of mine. I felt working with this staff, and working with this program, was something I need to be a part of."

Inge left Seattle with more than two decades of FBS coaching experience, including serving as a defensive coordinator at the UW, Fresno State and Indiana. Bala mostly has his cup of coffee at Alabama.

A California native who played linebacker for Southern Utah, Bala shared how he landed the Crimson Tide job because Bill Belichick called Saban on his behalf to promote him, demonstrating his great networking skills. Now he works side by side with Belichick's son, Steve, who is the UW defensive coordinator.

“Robert is a smart young coach who has paid his dues across all levels of college football and we are excited to add him to our staff,” Saban said when he hired Bala in 2023. “He has a wealth of experience and a proven track record of developing football players both on and off the field."

With Bala, his resume is simply how you look at it. While not long in FBS stops, he's now working for the second of four teams that qualified for last season's CFP playoffs. If anyone asks what he's done lately, it's plenty. Still, measured against Inge, he needs to make up a lot of ground at the highest level of college football to be considered a coaching upgrade.

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