LOOK: New Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer speaks to the team for the first time

LOOK: Alabama’s new HC Kalen DeBoer introduces himself to the team

About 4 p.m. on Wednesday, [autotag]Nick Saban[/autotag] shocked the sports world by announcing his retirement from college football and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Today, almost 53 hours later, [autotag]Kalen DeBoer[/autotag] is introducing himself to the Crimson Tide football team as the 28th head coach in program history.

On Monday night, DeBoer was in Houston, Texas, leading the Washington Huskies in the national title game. He ends the week as the successor of the great Nick Saban.

Insane.

DeBoer is an offensive savant and one of the most highly respected people in the sport, but he is new to the South and he will face his fair share of learning curves. However, having Saban at your disposal as a helping hand is far from the worst thing.

DeBoer will have his work cut out from him over the next 48 hours from hiring coordinators and working on recruiting, but retaining the players currently on the roster is the most important thing by fair. This Alabama team was a play away from a national title berth. It is imperative to keep the core together. Jalen Milroe and Caleb Downs have made gestures that indicate they plan to stay with the Tide, but the next 48 hours will be telling.

While there aren’t many details yet, it sounds like the first meeting between DeBoer and the players was a massive success!

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