Kalen DeBoer, Alabama share 'chip on shoulder' after Saban - ESPN

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The old adage that it's better to follow the man who followed the man than to follow the man isn't lost on Kalen DeBoer.

DeBoer has heard that one a time or two since replacing the legendary Nick Saban last month as Alabama's head football coach. But he said Wednesday that the honor of being the one chosen to replace Saban far outweighs any pressure he might feel.

«I look at it as a privilege, and not pressure, to be able to come to a place like this,» DeBoer told ESPN. «I understand that there are expectations that are extremely high. But think about what the alternative is — to be at a place that doesn't have expectations.

»That's not what I'm looking for, not what I've gone through to get to this point."

DeBoer guided Washington to the College Football Playoff national championship game in his second season in Seattle before losing to Michigan. The Huskies were 4-8 the year before DeBoer arrived, and he has won 11 or more games in seven of his nine seasons as a head coach.

He's also well aware of the current narrative that Alabama is finally vulnerable regardless of DeBoer's achievements.

«I think there's maybe a common chip on our shoulder,» DeBoer said. «Our players here at Alabama fell an overtime short of playing for the national championship last year. We were one step away from winning the national championship at Washington.

»Let's take that next step together."

DeBoer said he wants Alabama to be in «attack» mode in everything it does, similar to the way Washington carved teams apart on offense the last two seasons. The Huskies were one of four FBS teams (along with Georgia, Oregon and USC) to average 36 or more points per game each of the past two seasons.

«It's the same way on defense, and