How Nick Saban has helped Kalen DeBoer in early days of Alabama tenure

When Nick Saban retired and Kalen DeBoer took over as Alabama football’s head coach, the man who led the program to six national titles wasn’t completely abandoning it. Saban, while beginning to enjoy his retirement and accepting a role with ESPN, has served an advisory role, complete with an office in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

If DeBoer needed him, Saban would be a phone call away. According to the new head coach, his predecessor has followed through on that.

“He’s been great. I think there’s all but been one time where he hasn’t picked up the phone, and about five minutes later, I think he called me back,” DeBoer said during a Tuesday morning appearance on Greg McElroy and Cole Cubelic’s WJOX radio show. “So he’s just been amazing. And not just for me, but I know (defensive coordinator) Kane Wommack and the defensive staff are excited about having continued conversations, just talking ball. We have great coaches on our staff, but you can’t help but make sure that you utilize that resource in coach Saban.”

Since DeBoer took over, it’s been a hectic period of navigating staff turnover and figuring out what the roster will look like for spring practice. Saban said Monday night in Birmingham that he didn’t want to hover over the program during the transition, but was available to give advice if needed.

According to DeBoer, their chats have been mostly about details.

“A lot of the conversations have just been me understanding, probably who’s here, how things have been done and any questions that just popped up, just hollering his way,” DeBoer said. “I think as we go through the next couple months, we’ll continue to have more of those questions just on a ‘What’s the best way? Why did you think this way here? And why was this practice set up that (way)?’ There’s just little things that maybe were done a different way and you pick up the phone and reach out.”

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