Huskies coach Chris Petersen said he consulted with Washington’s Kalen DeBoer during the team’s transition from Mountain West Conference to Pac-12. “He came up a few times and we talked about what it would be like for me,” Petersen said of DeBoer, who played for him at Boise State before transferring to UW.
Washington Huskies’ Kalen DeBoer says he consulted Chris Petersen on transition from MWC.
SEATTLE (AP) — During the bustle of the previous several days, Kalen DeBoer picked up the phone and spoke with Chris Petersen for the first time in his coaching career.
One of DeBoer’s main concerns for the extremely successful previous coach, whom he admired from afar, was how to best transition from coaching at a Mountain West institution to becoming the head coach at Washington.
“I believe his experience transferring from Boise [State] to here is extremely similar to mine. I’ll probe his and others’ brains on what’s worked in the past and how to proceed. It was simply an excellent discussion and grasp of Washington in general “DeBoer said this on Tuesday.
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Washington is hoping that re-entering the Mountain West by hiring DeBoer would help the Huskies recreate the success they experienced when Petersen came to Washington from Boise State in 2013.
DeBoer signed a five-year, $16.5 million agreement with Washington after two seasons as the head coach at Fresno State. The contract begins with a guaranteed remuneration of $3.1 million and increases by $100,000 each year, and it is eerily identical to the contract that previous coach Jimmy Lake was working under before to his dismissal in mid-November.
In addition, Washington will pay Fresno State $1.5 million to fulfill the buyout of DeBoer’s contract with the Bulldogs. It’s not a big-name choice like USC’s Lincoln Riley, but it looks to be a good match for the Huskies.
Jen Cohen, Washington’s athletic director, stated, “I’m incredibly confidence in his talents, love his background, love his leadership qualities.” “I simply believe he’s a perfect match and will do a fantastic job here,” she says.
Cohen mentioned Petersen, who was in the audience for DeBoer’s introduction press conference, as a key resource throughout the coaching search. DeBoer said he spoke with Petersen as well as valued mentor Jeff Tedford, who spent 11 seasons as a head coach in the Pac-12 at California before becoming a consultant for Washington in 2016.
“First and foremost, I believe he (Tedford) simply said that this is an incredible site. I didn’t have to ask why, either “DeBoer said. “I believe it always comes back to the things I’ve said, namely the community and the people you’re surrounded by. He simply had a strong feeling about it, and he knew it was a fantastic chance for me.”
While Tedford served as a mentor, DeBoer is most likely to be linked to Petersen since they were both Mountain West coaches with offensive innovation histories and foundations laid as players and young coaches at small universities.
When Petersen arrived in Washington, he had a longer track record of national accomplishment, something DeBoer lacked. However, the 47-year-old has won at practically every stop along the road, including a 63-7 record and three NAIA titles in five seasons as head coach at his alma school, Sioux Falls.
DeBoer led Fresno State to a 12-6 record in his two seasons there, including a 9-3 mark this season that includes a victory against UCLA.
DeBoer visited with Washington’s players after his appointment was announced on Monday night, and he spoke with them again on Tuesday as he begins to set the groundwork for what he hopes will be a speedy turnaround for the Huskies, who ended 4-8 for the first time since 2009.
“Every day, you must go with all you have. It begins with me because, as far as I can tell, these men are come to play for the head coach “DeBoer said. “So it’s just part of the job, and we all have to be on the same page in terms of doing a good job with our assessments while also working really hard to create those connections with those players, with everyone.”
