Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer reiterated his intention to lead the Crimson Tide in 2026 and said he does not plan to hold discussions related to open jobs elsewhere while speaking Monday ahead of the program's College Football Playoff first-round matchup at Oklahoma.
"I feel completely supported," DeBoer said less than 24 hours after he reaffirmed his commitment to Alabama in a statement posted to social media on Sunday. "My family loves living here. Just all the things that we continue to build on. [I] love the progress. Haven't talked with anyone [about head coach openings]. No plans of talking with anyone."
DeBoer, 51, has been mentioned as a possible target for multiple coaching vacancies throughout his second season at Alabama this fall.
Earlier this month, DeBoer denied interest in other jobs prior to the SEC championship game amid links to Penn State: "We're extremely happy at Alabama," he said on Dec. 4. He once again surfaced as a potential candidate at Michigan over the past week after the Wolverines fired Sherrone Moore on Dec. 10 for engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.
In Sunday's statement, DeBoer said that he had not spoken with any other programs and stated that he remains "fully committed to this program and look forward to continuing as the head football coach at the University of Alabama."
During a news conference on Monday, DeBoer explained that he released the statement with an eye on quieting the noise around his players and keeping the program's focus centered on the 10-3 Crimson Tide's visit to No. 8 Oklahoma on Friday (8 p.m. EST, ABC).
"First of all, our guys handle distractions phenomenally," DeBoer said. "It's been that way all season long. They continue to do that. But I also knew that yesterday and today was pretty important. I wasn't going to see [media] until today to address this. So that's why I put that out there. A lot of the same things I said before a couple weeks ago when asked really the same question.
"If there's been any distraction, I haven't seen it," DeBoer continued. "I haven't felt it. So, I'm really proud of the way they've handled whatever noise is out there. We've probably, all season long, have dealt with enough noise to where it doesn't surprise me with how they handle this."
DeBoer replaced seven-time national champion Nick Saban at Alabama in January 2024 after two seasons in charge at Washington, where he led the Huskies to the national championship game during the 2023 season. He led Fresno State from 2020 to 2021 and previously served FBS offensive coordinator stints at Eastern Michigan, Fresno State and Indiana from 2014 to 2019.
DeBoer holds a record of 19-7 with the Crimson Tide, including a pair of losses to Oklahoma, which topped Alabama 23-21 when the programs met earlier this fall on Nov. 15.