Breaking: Former Indiana Offensive Coordinator Kalen DeBoer Hired as Washington's Head Coach

Kalen DeBoer did a lot of great things with Indiana's offense during his one year as offensive coordinator, and he left with his star on the rise to become the head coach at Fresno State. Just two years later, he's now a Power 5 head coach, taking over at Washington.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Kalen DeBoer came and went through Bloomington quickly, staying only one year as Indiana's offensive coordinator in 2019, and setting all sorts of records in the process.

Fresno State scooped him up immediately, naming his as head coach in 2020. After two successful years there, he got a Power 5 job on Monday, getting hired by the Washington Huskies of the Pac-12.

DeBoer has gone 12-6 in two seasons as the coach at Fresno State — including an impressive 9-3 season in 2021. He had a huge 40-37 upset of No. 14 UCLA on Sept. 18 and a narrow 31-24 loss at No. 11 Oregon on Sept. 4. He signed a five-year, $7 million contract with Fresno State in 2019 after his one season at Indiana. He had been Fresno State's offensive coordinator prior to that.

DeBoer was a small college coaching legend at the University of Sioux Falls — his alma mater — where he went 67-3 and won three NAIA championships in five seasons, from 2005 to 2009.

According to the Seattle Times, both former Washington coach Chris Petersen and former Cal and Fresno State coach Jeff Tedford served as advisers to Cohen throughout the coaching search and heavily endorsed DeBoer, according to several sources. Tedford and DeBoer have a longstanding relationship and Fresno State ties.

Washington's program has struggled of late after the retirement of successful head coach Chris Petersen. Jimmy Lake, who replaced Petersen, was fired from Washington shortly before the end of his second season. 

Lake led Washington to a 3-1 record in his pandemic-shortened debut but went 4-5 before being fired after a bizarre altercation with a player on the sideline during a loss to Oregon. The Huskies finished 4-8, their worst record since Tyrone Willingham led the program to a winless campaign in 2008.

Indiana's powerful offense has fallen apart since DeBoer's departure. The Hoosiers ranked last in the Big Ten this season while going 2-10. Nick Sheridan, who was promoted to offensive coordinator after DeBoer left, was fired on Monday.