The fact Kalen DeBoer was willing to take over for Nick Saban told starting tight end CJ Dippre a lot of what he needed to know about the new Alabama football coach.
In addition to DeBoer’s winning track record (104-12 before coming to Tuscaloosa), Dippre was immediately impressed by DeBoer agreeing to succeed arguably the greatest college football coach of all time.
Dippre, who’s preparing for the 2025 NFL Draft, appeared on Thursday’s episode of “Beat Everyone,” AL.com’s Alabama football podcast. Find it on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
“I always told (DeBoer) that was a big respect thing for me,” Dippre said. “I remember when I went up and sat down with him for the first time, that was one of the things I said. And I was like, to come in and have the guts to fill those shoes, it’s tough. I mean, it’s easier to go into a broken program and try and rebuild it than come into a traditionally already winning already successful program and keep that success going.”
After a season with Saban in 2023, Dippre decided to stay and play his last year with DeBoer in 2024. Dippre started 24 games combined for the two coaches after Dippre started his collegiate career at Maryland.
Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.
This content is reposted from the source: https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/2025/03/how-kalen-deboer-earned-one-alabama-football-starters-respect-the-guts-to-fill-those-shoes.html
