Fresno State coach Kalen DeBoer in talks with Washington. Is a deal imminent?
.JPG "Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener talks with coach Kalen DeBoer during the third quarter of the Bulldogs’ 31-24 loss at Oregon. This week, the Bulldogs are plotting their chances for the Mountain West championship game.")
Fresno State football coach Kalen DeBoer is in discussions to become the next coach at Washington.
DeBoer is meeting Monday with Washington athletics director Jen Cohen and an agreement could be completed Monday, according to sources.
The Huskies have been looking for and are in need of stability in its football program after firing coach Jimmy Lake after just 13 games, and DeBoer would seem a solid fit not only for the way he handled the Bulldogs’ COVID nightmare but his run of successes as an offensive coordinator at Eastern Michigan, Fresno State and Indiana and as a head coach. The Bulldogs’ coach also has three national championships on his resume at the NAIA level.
DeBoer is 12-6 in two seasons at Fresno State, going 3-3 in 2020 when navigating a COVID-19 nightmare with a number of players out due to positive tests or contact tracing protocols. The Bulldogs had two games canceled, and finished the season with a severely-depleted roster for its final two games, losses at Nevada and to New Mexico.
Fresno State this season started 4-1, beating No. 13 UCLA at the Rose Bowl and losing at No. 11 Oregon. Fresno State was ranked No. 22 after beating the Bruins and up to No. 18 before an upset loss at Hawaii. It finished 9-3 and 6-2 in the Mountain West and was in the West Division title race in the conference until the final weekend, paced by a high-scoring offense led by quarterback Jake Haener.
Haener, a transfer from Washington, has hit 67.5% of his passes for 3,810 yards with 32 touchdowns and nine interceptions and is ranked second in the Mountain West in passing.
Fresno State made a run at keeping its coach and had preliminary discussions with DeBoer and his agent about a contract extension. But the Bulldogs can’t come close to offering a Power Five-level salary or matching the staffing levels, facilities and operating budgets. Washington, according to data submitted to the U.S. Department of Education, invested $34.4 million in its football program in 2019-20. Fresno State spent $13.4 million.
DeBoer, who went 12-6 at Fresno State, was paid $1.35 million and his contract topped out at $1.5 million in 2024, the final year of the deal. Fresno State will receive a $1.5 million buyout.
This story was originally published November 29, 2021 at 12:16 PM.