AP sources: Washington in talks with Fresno St. coach DeBoer
Mon, Nov 29, 2021
NCAAF News (AP)
Washington is in talks with Fresno State's Kalen DeBoer to be its next head coach, two people familiar with the discussions between the Bulldogs' coach and the Pac-12 school told AP on Monday.
The people spoke on condition of anonymity because a deal between Washington and the 47-year-old DeBoer was not complete, though he was scheduled to meet with school officials in Fresno, California, on Monday.
On3 Sports first reported Washington was targeting DeBoer to be its next coach.
DeBoer has spent two season at Fresno State, going 12-6.
He previously worked under Jeff Tedford at Fresno State during the 2017 and 2018 seasons as offensive coordinator. He left to take the offensive coordinator job at Indiana for the 2019 season before returning to Fresno State in 2020 after Tedford stepped down for health reasons.
His history with Tedford likely played in DeBoer's favor with Washington. Tedford has a tight friendship with former Washington coach Chris Petersen, who has served as an adviser for athletic director Jen Cohen since he stepped down after the 2019 season.
Tedford also worked as a consultant for Washington during the 2016 season when the Huskies won the Pac-12 championship and reached the College Football Playoff.
Prior to his time at Fresno State, DeBoer worked at Eastern Michigan and Southern Illinois, and was the head coach at his alma mater Sioux Falls from 2005-09. He went 63-7 in five seasons as head coach, winning three NAIA championships.
Washington is looking to replace Jimmy Lake, who was fired on Nov. 14 after just 13 games coached. Lake was suspended for making physical contact with one of his players on the sideline on Nov. 6 in a loss to Oregon. A week later, Lake was dismissed, capping a downward spiral season that started with a loss to FCS powerhouse Montana in Week 1 and never improved.
Washington lost its final four games and finished with a losing record for the first time since 2009. The late-season slide was capped with a 40-13 loss to Washington State in the Apple Cup, the worst loss for the Huskies in the 113 games played between the rivals.
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AP Sports Writer Tim Booth in Seattle contributed.
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