It’s no secret that Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer is the Michigan Wolverines’ top target to replace Sherrone Moore as the program’s head coach.

DeBoer, however, recently released a statement stating that he’s not interested in talking to other schools.

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— Yea Alabama (@yea_ala) December 14, 2025

According to former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy, Michigan isn’t interested in accepting the answer “no” from DeBoer just yet.

Greg McElroy shares the latest on Michigan’s pursuit of Kalen DeBoer

McElroy, who is currently a college football analyst for ESPN, suggested on Wednesday that Michigan is prepared to offer DeBoer a “blank check”.

“Just last week, Kalen DeBoer publicly put out a statement that would remove him from consideration — or, at least, in many people’s eyes, it would remove him from consideration,” said McElroy. “However, Michigan has been applying the full-court press from the very beginning. Michigan has offered, what I’ve been told, a blank check to try to get Kalen DeBoer out of Tuscaloosa and to Ann Arbor. Now, the timing is unique here, because Kalen DeBoer is in the midst of preparing his team (for the playoff). And frankly, I don’t think Kalen DeBoer is ultimately going to take the job. I don’t think Kalen DeBoer wants to take the job. I think Kalen DeBoer is happy at Alabama. I think the narrative that he’s unhappy, or that he’s this or that, or that his family doesn’t [want to be at Alabama]…I think it’s untrue. I think people are just grasping at straws, frankly.”

“But it doesn’t mean that Michigan won’t continue to try to woo him. It doesn’t mean they’re going to stop trying to get him. They’re going to try whatever they have to do. They’re going to try, because there are a lot of people who believe that Kalen DeBoer is one of the top coaches in America. So you go all in for that coach, and I think Michigan will continue to go all in on Kalen DeBoer. They can be interested. Is the interest actually reciprocated? I don’t know the answer to that. Frankly, I don’t think it is. I think Kalen DeBoer, like I said, will be the head coach (at Alabama) moving forward, but he’s likely going to turn down more money at Michigan if he does end up staying in Tuscaloosa — or at least that’s what it sounds like right now.”

“Because when I hear ‘blank check,’ you can interpret that however you want,” continued McElroy. “It sounds to me that Kalen DeBoer is going to be very wealthy on either side. But is there a huge difference between 11 million and 14 million? I have no idea. But I do know that Kalen DeBoer is, right now, not interested in having a conversation with Michigan. And I do know this: Michigan is not interested in accepting the answer ‘no.’ We will see exactly where that goes.”

Greg McElroy says Michigan targeted Kalen DeBoer after the 2023 season when Jim Harbaugh left

One reason that McElroy is confident that DeBoer will stay at Alabama is because DeBoer was Michigan’s top target to replace Jim Harbaugh after the 2023 season. DeBoer, according to McElroy, chose Alabama over Michigan.

“Here’s the timeline of what’s transpired there,” said McElroy on Wednesday. “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.”

Alabama plays Oklahoma on Friday in the first round of the playoff, so nothing will happen until after the game if DeBoer decides to speak to Michigan.

But based on McElroy’s comments, it seems unlikely that DeBoer will leave Alabama for Michigan.

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