‘It was the worst kept secret in America’ – Former Alabama QB drops nugget that changes how Michigan’s coaching search will play out
The Michigan Wolverines are looking for a new head coach after firing Sherrone Moore earlier this month.
The Michigan Wolverines are searching for a new head coach after unexpectedly firing Sherrone Moore with cause last week.
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer is the “home run hire” that Michigan fans are dreaming about, but it appears unlikely that the former Washington Huskies coach will be heading to Ann Arbor.
DeBoer released a statement a few days ago stating that he has no interest in talking to other schools.
Despite DeBoer’s statement, there are still folks in the media connecting the Alabama coach to the Michigan job.
Former Alabama QB drops nugget that changes how Michigan’s coaching search will be viewed
Former Alabama quarterback and current ESPN analyst Greg McElroy spoke at length on Wednesday morning about DeBoer and the Michigan job.
McElroy specifically addressed the idea that Michigan could’ve hired DeBoer after the 2023 season, over Alabama, had the Wolverines made him their top target.
The former Alabama quarterback revealed that DeBoer actually was Michigan’s top choice to replace Jim Harbaugh two years ago.
“Here’s the timeline of what’s transpired there,” said McElroy. “And I only know this because I was working the phones all over the place. So Michigan fires Sherrone Moore. Two years ago, when Jim Harbaugh ultimately took the Los Angeles Chargers job, do you know who was number one on their list to succeed Jim Harbaugh? [Moore] was not their first choice. Their first choice was Kalen DeBoer.
“And what I think is funny about this is there’s this whole notion, there’s this whole idea, that Kalen DeBoer — had Michigan known and had a little more clarity about Jim Harbaugh — then they could have gone after Kalen DeBoer two years ago. Well, I can tell you this: there is not a soul in this country that thought Jim Harbaugh was staying at Michigan after the 2023 National Championship. Not one person. It was the worst kept secret in America. Everybody knew he was going to the NFL. It was just a matter of what team it was going to be.
“Everyone knew he was leaving, including Kalen DeBoer, including Kalen DeBoer’s representation,” continued McElroy. “So this whole rumor that Bama just beat Michigan to the punch a couple years ago — that’s not exactly the way it went down.
“Kalen DeBoer had just finished coaching the Washington Huskies in the national championship game against the Michigan Wolverines, and there was something about leaving for the team that just beat him that made, I think, the whole situation completely unlikely. I don’t think he wanted to entertain that. The optics weren’t good. I mean, it’s like, to me, that just doesn’t feel right. You know, the ‘I can’t beat them [so let’s] join them mentality.’ That doesn’t feel right. So, as a result, he chose Alabama over Michigan two years ago.”
If McElroy is correct, and there’s no reason to think he’s not considering how plugged in he is at Alabama, then it certainly wouldn’t make sense for DeBoer to leave a playoff team to join a program that’s currently in the midst of cleaning up a big mess, especially for a gig he already turned down two years ago for the job he’s currently at.
You never say never in this business — college football is as unpredictable as ever — but it certainly feels like it would be a massive surprise if DeBoer left Tuscaloosa for Ann Arbor.
Alabama Crimson Tide News
‘It would be crushing’ – Former Alabama quarterback details whether he thinks Kalen DeBoer will leave Tuscaloosa for Michigan
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer is one of the top candidates to replace Sherrone Moore at Michigan.
