SEATTLE — Kalen DeBoer was named the 30th head football coach at the University of Washington on Monday.
DeBoer, 47, comes from Fresno State where he led the Bulldogs to a 9-3 overall record.
DeBoer replaces Jimmy Lake, who was fired earlier this month following a sideline incident during a Huskies game against Oregon on Nov. 6. During the game, Lake appeared to thrust his right arm toward Huskies linebacker Ruperake Fuavai and then shove him. Fuavai appeared like he was exchanging words with Jaylon Redd from the opposing team.
During his seventh season as head coach, DeBoer has a 79-9 record.
“My family and I are so grateful for the opportunity to lead such a storied program and be part of this prestigious institution,” DeBoer said. “The tough, hard-nosed tradition of Washington football speaks for itself, and it was obvious throughout this process that UW is committed to competing at the highest level. This is a perfect fit for me and I would like to thank Jen Cohen and President Cauce for their trust. We could not be more excited to get to Seattle and get to work.”
DeBoer previously coached for five seasons at Sioux Falls. He's worked at Southern Illinois as offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach from 2010 to 2013 and moved to Eastern Michigan to work as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2014 to 2016.
“I could not be more excited to welcome Kalen and his wonderful family to the University of Washington,” UW Director of Athletics Jennifer Cohen said. “We set out to find the best fit for Husky football and we found an individual that exemplifies everything this program represents. Kalen is a winner and champion, plain and simple. He has succeeded at every stop because he does it the right way and is committed to a culture of excellence for Husky football student-athletes. His strong value alignment with our department, university and community will make all of Husky Nation proud.”