We normally try not to concern ourselves with the coaching hires of other teams, but when it’s happening at a school that directly affects the Oregon Ducks, we’re going to take notice.
That obviously was the case earlier this week when the Alabama Crimson Tide were looking to replace Nick Saban — a hire that we were right on from the very start — and it is the case once again as the Washington Huskies look to replace Kalen DeBoer, who took his talents south to Tuscaloosa for the 2024 season.
The Huskies need to make a big-time hire, but the odds may be stacked against them. Many of the best players from the Pac-12 championship team in 2023 have announced they are heading to the NFL this offseason. A handful of others have entered the transfer portal. On top of that, Washington is now late to board the coaching carousel in college football. While the job could be big enough to lure top coaches from other schools, it will not exactly be easy. Washington is headed to the Big Ten next season, and the cupboards are looking relatively bare.
So who ultimately might the Huskies be able to land? These are a few candidates that we are hearing are in the running: