According to new Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer, there weren’t many places he’d leave his prior job at Washington for. Over two years with the Huskies, he’d built the program up to an appearance in the national championship game against Michigan.

Then the Crimson Tide came calling. After he and UA athletics director Greg Byrne met for the first time in a downtown Seattle hotel Thursday, he made his choice: DeBoer would be the man to replace the retired Nick Saban as head coach in Tuscaloosa.

It’s a huge role. Saban’s legacy can be seen all through Tuscaloosa and replacing a legend could be daunting.

But DeBoer sees it as a chance to build something great.

“I don’t take that lightly,” DeBoer told media after being introduced as head coach Saturday. “I take it as quite an honor to be honest with you.”

It’s an attitude Bryne was looking for in his next coach. The athletics director noted the narrative that replacing Saban would scare off candidates, admitting that he’d have written the same thing had he been a reporter.

But he wanted a coach with a different attitude about the task at hand.

“You better have somebody that’s comfortable in their own skin,” Byrne said. “And that looks at this as a challenge and an opportunity, not as a detriment.”

When Byrne and his wife Regina went to Seattle to meet with the coach and his wife, Nicole, he thought he found that attitude. It was the same spirit DeBoer showed on stage at his introduction.

There’s much to do now for DeBoer. He wants to fill out his staff in the coming days, and figure out what Alabama’s roster will look like next season with players currently able to enter the transfer portal.

DeBoer said he had called up Saban Saturday morning, ahead of the press conference. He spoke throughout the afternoon about wanting to learn what makes Alabama great, as he takes on perhaps the most difficult succession since Ray Perkins took over for Bear Bryant.

“Learning as quickly as possible,” DeBoer said. “Trying to make as few mistakes as far as losing the traditions that are important to the fan base, to the players, and all those type of things. I think that’s what you can do. That’s all you can ask of yourself is just embrace all of it that comes along with being in this position and following coach Saban.”