Washington's Kalen DeBoer Named 2023 AP Coach of the Year; Led Huskies to CFP
Washington Huskies head coach Kalen DeBoer was named the Associated Press coach of the Year on Tuesday after leading his team to a Pac-12 title, a perfect 13-0 record and a berth in the College Football Playoff.
"It's all about the people around me. This is a team award," DeBoer said. "When you win, I tell the players this, you win football games, you're going to get recognized and more awards are going to get shared. I'm fortunate enough to kind of be the figurehead of our team and receive these cool awards. Just really blessed."
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He received 30 of the 52 first-place votes for the award and his 113 overall points bested Florida State's Mike Norvell (57 points), Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz (38) and Arizona's Jedd Fisch (28).
Washington will face Texas on Jan. 1 in the Sugar Bowl, with a spot in the National Championship Game against either Michigan or Alabama on the line.
DeBoer has provided a major glow-up for the Huskies, going 23-2 in his two seasons after Washington was 4-8 in 2021. That ended the two-year tenure of former head coach Jimmy Lake and led to DeBoer's hiring from Fresno State.
"We were open ears to what he had to say, and he was so persistent in his genuineness and his commitment to take this program to the top that at the end of the day, it was unstoppable to be able to trust him," star wideout Rome Odunze told the AP.
"We've gotten here because he's carried through with everything he said he was going to do with all his effort," he added.
It wasn't an easy road. Washington had to beat No. 8 Oregon twice alongside victories over No. 14 Arizona and No. 19 Oregon State. Both USC and Utah were also ranked when Washington beat them, though neither finished in the top 25.
Another tough task awaits, as the Big 12 champions, Texas, loom. DeBoer, who is the first Washington head coach to ever win the AP's Coach of the Year award, is already a popular figure at the school for leading the team to the CFP.
Winning it would take his legend to a whole other level.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
