TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WISH) — It’s been a meteoric rise for Kalen DeBoer.

Just four years after leaving the Indiana Hoosiers, DeBoer has one of the most-coveted positions in college football: head coach of the University of Alabama.

Reports came out Friday that the Crimson Tide had chosen DeBoer, who spent the last two years in the same position at Washington, to replace the legendary Nick Saban after he announced his retirement this week.

The former IU offensive coordinator led the Huskies in one of their most successful seasons in program history. Washington entered the playoffs as the second-ranked team in the country, playing for their first National Championship. Deboer had the help of quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who also once donned the Crimson and Cream in Bloomington. DeBoer, Penix and the Huskies ultimately lost the title to Jim Harbaugh and his Michigan Wolverines.

It was also Washington’s second time playing in the College Football Playoff. The first came in 2016.

Before moving to Seattle, DeBoer left Bloomington in 2020 for the head coaching position at Fresno State. The 49-year-old was in Fresno two years, followed by two years with the Huskies, before being offered the Alabama job.

DeBoer heads to Tuscaloosa after being named AP Coach of the Year last season. His resume may not be as impressive as Saban’s more than 200 wins and six national titles, but DeBoer boasts a 105-12 record as a head coach.

The Tide finished the season as the fourth-ranked team in the country after beating then-No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Championship to make it to the College Football Playoff. Saban’s final game with Alabama was the Tide’s 27-20 loss to No. 1 Michigan in the Rose Bowl semi-final game.