Fresno State football head coach Kalen DeBoer has left the program to become the new head coach at the University of Washington.
The Washington Huskies made the deal official on Monday afternoon as they shared a video of athletic director Jen Cohen taking a flight to Fresno, where DeBoer was seen signing a contract.
“While we are saddened to see Coach DeBoer leave Fresno State, we are grateful for his service to our university and our community over the past two years,” Fresno State Athletic Director Terry Tumey said in a prepared statement. “We did all that we could to keep Coach and his family in Fresno, but we understand that this is an incredible opportunity for them.”
Tumey said the department will move “swiftly and diligently” as it searches for a new head coach.
“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 in a press release. “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’s tenure at Fresno State began in 2017 as the offensive coordinator. He spent two seasons with the team. In 2018, Fresno State went 12-2 and won the 2018 Mountain West championship against Boise State and captured a victory in the Las Vegas Bowl against Arizona State.
Following that season, DeBoer served as the offensive coordinator at Indiana in between his two-year stint with the Bulldogs in 2019. Leading them with an 8-5 record, the Hoosiers had their best record in over 25 years, and it was their first time being nationally ranked.
He also had a 67-3 record as the head coach at the University of Sioux Fall, his alma mater.
DeBoer was appointed as Fresno State’s head coach after Jeff Tedford stepped down in 2019. Fresno State went 12-6 under DeBoer’s two seasons at the helm.
“I could not be more excited to welcome Kalen and his wonderful family to the University of Washington,” said Cohen in a press release. “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.”
Running backs coach Lee Marks will serve as the interim head coach and will lead the team in the upcoming bowl game.
Written by Manuel Hernandez and Jesús Cano.