Own the group chat with The Weekender, highlighting the biggest stories in college sports, standout writing from Eleven Warriors, and a glance at what's next.
Kalen DeBoer replaces Nick Saban at Alabama
While scrolling through Twitter (X?) following Saban's sudden retirement on Wednesday, the main idea was that you would want to be the guy who replaced the guy who replaced arguably the greatest head coach in college football history, not the guy who immediately replaced Saban.
Kalen DeBoer doesn't have those same beliefs. After leading the Washington Huskies to the national championship game, the 49-year-old, who was reportedly the top choice for the Crimson Tide, will take over at Bama and try to continue the rich, storied tradition of dominant football in Tuscaloosa that Saban is leaving behind.
DeBoer's rise to one of the biggest jobs in football is quite fascinating, as he was Indiana's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2019 and now the head coach at Alabama just five years later.
| Year(s) | School | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Sioux Falls | Wide Receivers |
| 1998-99 | Washington High School (South Dakota) | Assistant |
| 2000-04 | Sioux Falls | Offensive Coordinator |
| 2005-09 | Sioux Falls | Head Coach |
| 2010-13 | Southern Illinois | Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach |
| 2014-16 | Eastern Michigan | Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers |
| 2017-18 | Fresno State | Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach |
| 2019 | Indiana | Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach |
| 2020-21 | Fresno State | Head Coach |
| 2022-23 | Washington | Head Coach |
| 2024 | Alabama | Head Coach |
Cam Ward transfers to Miami
It appears Cam Ward's declaration for the 2024 NFL draft was the leverage he needed to secure as much NIL money as possible in South Beach.
One of the best quarterbacks in the transfer portal this offseason, he was a well-sought-after gunslinger up until (supposedly) taking his talents to the next level, announcing on New Year's Day that he would enter the NFL draft. But Ward never formally declared and changed course than less than two weeks later, announcing his commitment to Miami on Saturday.
— Cameron Ward (@Cameron7Ward) January 14, 2024
Ward will be a Hurricane in his final collegiate season after two years at Washington State, which followed two seasons at Incarnate Word. After former Miami starter Tyler Van Dyke transferred to Wisconsin in December, Ward will be the favorite to start for the Hurricanes next fall and lead a team who went 7-6 in 2023, including 3-5 in the ACC.
Upsets galore in college basketball
Talk about one heckuva week in men's college basketball following the college football season coming to an end last Monday night.
Of the 25 teams in this week’s AP Top 25, 14 of them suffered at least one loss this week entering Sunday's slate of games, including 14 losses to unranked teams. In all, eight of the top 11 teams and four of the top six teams in the rankings, including all of the top three teams in the country, suffered at least one loss this past week.
- No. 1 Purdue loses at Nebraska
- No. 2 Houston loses at Iowa State and TCU
- No. 3 Kansas loses at UCF
- No. 5 Tennessee loses at Missippi State
- No. 6 Kentucky loses at Texas A&M
- No. 8 Arizona loses at Washington State
- No. 9 Oklahoma loses at TCU and No. 3 Kansas
- No. 11 Marquette loses to Butler
- No. 17 Colorado State loses at Boise State
- No. 18 BYU loses at No. 14 Baylor
- No. 19 San Diego State loses at New Mexico
- No. 21 Clemson loses at Virginia Tech
- No. 23 Gonzaga loses at Santa Clara
- No. 25 Texas loses at West Virginia
Good luck with Monday's rankings, AP voters.
ICYMI
Plenty has separated Ohio State from all three of its season goals the past three seasons. But there's one thing missing in the games that matter most.
Ohio State’s Cornerback Unit Built to Be Best in America in 2024, Elite for Years to Come
Ohio State should have college football’s best cornerback unit in 2024 and is set up to have elite cornerback play for years to come with the talent it’s recruited at the position.
Nick Saban's abrupt retirement could have a ripple effect on Ohio State and the rest of college football with Alabama players receiving a new 30-day transfer window.
What's Next
- 230 Days: 2024 season opener vs. Akron, TBD
- 321 Days: Michigan at Ohio State, TBD
- Men's Basketball: at Michigan, Monday, Noon (FOX)
- Women's Basketball: vs. Michigan State, Sunday, 4 p.m. (BTN)
