DeBoer On UW Football: 'This Is a Championship-Caliber Program'

Before the season opener against Kent State, Kalen DeBoer was asked what should be the reasonable expectations for fans of a University of Washington football team coming off a coaching change and a 4-8 season?

The reporter's question was presented in a way to the new head coach that seemed to suggest that the Huskies were headed for somewhat of a rebuilding campaign, which was fair enough. That's usually the case anywhere when there's a coaching change.

At the same time, many more people were posting on the UW fan web sites their predictions for a 6- or 7-win season for DeBoer's first team in Montlake.

DeBoer could have hemmed and hawed after being put on the spot. He could have offered a vague response to allow himself some leeway in case there were tough times..

Instead, the former Fresno State football leader turned Jimmy Lake replacement didn't mince words in telling everyone what he thought about the prospects for winning.

"I don't know anything other than playing for a championship, I really don't," DeBoer said in that August media briefing.

He went on to explain that he had faced long odds before in previous college football coaching stops, taking over 4-8, 5-7 and 1-11 teams and turning them around quickly.

"The game of football is about confidence and playing aggressive," DeBoer said. "Like I said, you've got to catch some breaks along the way, but I don't know anything other than trying to compete for a championship when it comes to going about your business. It doesn't always happen the first year, but I don't know why that can't be the case for us in this conference."

He couldn't have been more prophetic. Three months into his first season as UW coach, DeBoer has backed up his preseason statement about high expectations and more, and excited the fan base.

He's guided the 12th-ranked Huskies to a 9-2 record, with each loss coming by a meager touchdown on the road, and he has his team positioned for an attractive bowl game and even still in the running for a Pac-12 title game appearance, though the latter comes with long odds.

As he prepares his team for Saturday night's Apple Cup showdown against Washington State in Pullman, DeBoer also has a new contract extension in hand, which he agreed to on Tuesday, one that runs through 2028 and increases his salary to $4.2 million per year from $3.2 million.

Kalen DeBoer's staff turned edge rusher Jeremiah Martin into more of an inspired defensive playmaker when Texas A&M and Jimmy Lake's staff couldn't quite do it.

Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is flanked by two of his former Indiana offensive coordinators, Kalen DeBoer and Nick Sheridan, with the three of them reunited at the UW.

Kalen DeBoer is entertained by edge rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetui's celebratory reaction to beating Michigan State at home in September.

Kalen DeBoer offers a bit of advice to sophomore running back Cameron Davis before letting him run onto the field. Under the new coach's leadership, Davis has been turned into a 13-touchdown scorer.

UW coach Kalen DeBoer, not one to yell at the officials, asks for an explanation from one of the crew members during the UW-California game in Berkeley.

Justin Wilcox, the Cal head coach and formerly a UW defensive coordinator for Steve Sarkisian, chats with Husky coach Kalen DeBoer during pregame warm-ups in Berkeley.

UW coach Kalen DeBoer brought Michael Penix Jr. to Seattle and the Huskies from Indiana and turned him into the nation's leading passer.

Kalen DeBoer took his Huskies to Pasadena, where they suffered their first loss. Even with UCLA headed to the Big Ten, this likely won't be his only Rose Bowl visit as the UW coach.

Kalen DeBoer introduced his inherited UW players to a highly disciplined system during spring practice, demanding their best at all times during the 15 workouts and scrimmages.

Kalen DeBoer is introduced as the 30th Husky football coach last November with the program in great turmoil. It's not that way anymore, with the UW holding up a 9-2 record entering the Apple Cup.

Earlier in the week, DeBoer was reminded of his earlier championship statement when it seemed like Husky fans and the local media had been far less confident than him about what was set tot take place.

"I feel like this is a championship-caliber program," DeBoer said on Monday. "It was just how quickly we could get to this point. Now we can talk a bit more about being close to that. Nine wins starts putting you into those conversations. Ten does obviously. You've got to get there. We're certainly aren't there yet."

Previously, the most successful modern-day Husky football coaches — Jim Owens, Don James and Chris Petersen — each needed three seasons before they embraced a high rate of success, before they either put UW their teams in the Rose Bowl or the College Football Playoff.

As first-year coaches, those three went 3-6-1, 6-5 and 8-6, respectively. By their third seasons, Owens, James and Petersen were 10-1, 10-2 (with subsequent forfeits) and 12-2.

DeBoer hasn't needed any lag time in reaching a high success level his first time around Montlake. He hasn't lost sight of earning the league championship either, even if his Huskies are in need of multiple convoluted outcomes elsewhere to advance to the Dec. 2 title game in Las Vegas.

"We've got some work to do along with some help from others, but I'm always more focused on the process in getting there, that we're always improving," the UW coach said. "But this is a championship program. This has got the foundation that's been set over many decades of success. It was just a matter of time when we were going to get to that point."

But clearly not that much time.

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