Kalen DeBoer Named to Bear Bryant Watchlist

Kalen DeBoer currently has the Alabama Crimson Tide at 5-1, with their destiny still in their hands regarding the 12-team College Football Playoffs. DeBoer hasn't had an easy stretch to start his Alabama tenure, but his successful record to start the season has landed him on the Bear Bryant Award Watchlist.

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Other coaches on the list include:

Steve Sarkisian - Texas
Ryan Day - Ohio State
Mike Elko - Texas A&M
Josh Heupel - Tennessee
Dabo Swinney - Clemson
Dan Lanning - Oregon
Brian Kelly - LSU
Clark Lea - Vanderbilt
Kirby Smart - Georgia

According to the Bear Bryant Awards website, "The Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award salutes those coaches who have reached that same high standard of excellence."

The award is, obviously, named after former Crimson Tide head coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, who won six national championships as Alabama's head coach.

Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban won the award twice, and both times, he won a national championship that season. In 2003, he won the award as the head coach at LSU, and in 2020, he won the award as Alabama's head coach. 2003 was the first, and 2020 was the last national championship Saban won in college football.

Other notable coaches to win the award include:

Gene Stallings - 1992 (Alabama)
Tommy Tuberville - 2004 (Auburn)
Gene Chizik - 2010 (Auburn)
Gus Malzahn - 2013 (Auburn)
Dabo Swinney - 2015, 2016, 2018 (Clemson)
Ed Orgeron - 2019 (LSU)

The most recent winner in 2023 was Florida State's Mike Norvell, who led Florida State to a perfect 13-0 season, capped off by an ACC Championship win over Louisville. Florida State lost to Georgia in the Orange Bowl, 63-3.

Kalen DeBoer was a finalist for the award in 2023, leading the Washington Huskies to a perfect 13-0 regular season record before defeating Texas in the College Football Playoffs. Washington lost to Michigan in the CFP National Championship.

Nick Saban was also a finalist for the award in 2023.

Wyatt Fulton is the TIde 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.