Everything Alabama football coach Kalen DeBoer said about Michigan rumors

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Kalen DeBoer is all in on Alabama football. The Crimson Tide coach said as much.

DeBoer reaffirmed that he and his family “are very happy in Tuscaloosa.” He’s focused on “an incredible opportunity” in front of Alabama, which will face Oklahoma in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

And to DeBoer, whose name was swirling as a potential candidate for the vacant Michigan football coaching job, nothing else matters.

“I have not spoken and have no interest in speaking with anyone else about any other job,” DeBoer said in a statement Sunday, Dec. 14. “I am fully committed to this program and look forward to continuing as the head football coach at the University of Alabama.”

And that is the message DeBoer continued to push Monday, Dec. 15.

“First of all, our guys handle distractions phenomenally,” he said. “It’s been that way all season long. They continue to do that. But I also view that yesterday and today was pretty important. I wasn’t going to see you until today to address it. It’s why I put that out there.

A lot of the same things as I said before a couple weeks ago when I was asked, really, the same question. Just feel completely supported. My family loves living here. Just all the things that we continue to build on. Love the progress. Haven’t talked with anyone. No plans of talking with anyone. I think that’s a lot of what I said a couple weeks ago, and continues to be the same thing. Feel strong about it. Our guys, if there’s been any distraction, I haven’t seen it. I haven’t felt it. And so I’m really proud of the way they have handled whatever noise is out there…. We’ve probably, all season long, have dealt with enough noise to where it doesn’t surprise me how they have handled this.”

When asked for clarification on if he will be the head coach at Alabama in 2026, DeBoer said “yes.”

It was a question Alabama players faced before DeBoer shut it down. Ryan Williams said the team wasn’t “really worried about it” and that DeBoer “hasn’t said much” to players about it.

“Outside of knowing there was a question or two, I think, at the end of last week, it’s been non-existent,” DeBoer said. “I mean, it really has. Our guys are focused on Oklahoma. They really are. It’s what we’ve been completely focused on. I haven’t seen anything other than that.

“These guys deal with the noise, and they know that that’s what it is. What’s internal is what matters.”

DeBoer initially signed an eight-year contract worth $87 million in January 2024, and is slated for a raise in 2026 to $10.5 million.

According to DeBoer’s contract, which was obtained by The Tuscaloosa News, the Alabama coach has a $4 million buyout if he leaves the Crimson Tide in his 2025 contract year. The buyout shrinks to $3 million if he leaves in the 2026 contract year. From 2027-31, DeBoer does not have a buyout.

DeBoer has been Alabama’s coach for 26 games across two seasons, combining for a 19-7 overall record and a loss in his only bowl appearance with the Crimson Tide.

Alabama will take on Oklahoma in the first round of the CFP at 7 p.m. CT Friday, Dec. 19 in Norman, Oklahoma.

Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Everything Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said about Michigan rumors

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