Q&A: UW coach Kalen DeBoer discusses conference realignment, Huskies’ NIL efforts and more

Kalen DeBoer will undoubtedly discuss realignment, a conference stuffed with star quarterbacks, his (surely, possibly) improved secondary and more at Pac-12 Media Day on Friday.
But … why wait?
Before DeBoer, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio descend on Las Vegas, we sat with the second-year Huskies’ coach for a conversation about all of the above and more.
(Answers have been edited for length and clarity.)
When there is this lingering unknown as it relates to UW’s future conference affiliation, has that been a hindrance from a recruiting standpoint?
“That’s a good question. Until probably the beginning of the spring, it really wasn’t much of an issue. It wasn’t something I was hearing a lot about, where prospects were questioning this or that. As we got into the spring and summer, you could certainly see as guys were deciding where they were going — especially in the 2024 class — other universities were trying to put doubt in these kids’ heads about what the future is for us with the Pac-12, all of that. This spring and summer, those questions and conversations have been a lot more common.
“Not in an egotistical way, but I’m really confident in UW and what we have here — not just our football program but this university and our academics and the success of all of our athletic programs, our leadership, the city. Of course, when you’re talking about conference realignment and who wants who in their conference, the market is a big deal. I just think we have so many things in our corner. It’s just a matter of timing, and hopefully things fall into place and we end up in the spot we’re supposed to be in. But I feel very confident. I always tell guys and their families, ‘I’m comfortable with where I’m at right now and what’s going on.’ That’s my job. It’s my livelihood, to support my family. I pass that on to them, that I hope they feel comfortable as well.”
There are so many factors that go into the conference equation, when it comes to playoff access and revenue and regional rivalries, etc. Do you have a preference for which conference Washington belongs to five years from now?
“I don’t. I’ve always been about where your feet are at, and right now as a university and as an athletic program, our feet are in the Pac-12. We’re full steam ahead, making this the greatest experience and making the most of the opportunities for us in the future. You look at the positives that way. With fewer universities in the Pac-12, there’s a little easier route to the 12-team playoff in 2024, you would think.
“Obviously there’s other pieces to it that would get you thinking that being part of another conference would be beneficial as well. But again, there’s a lot of positives for us being in the Pac-12, especially with the 12-team playoff. I’ve been a part of that [postseason playoff] many years; and once you get your foot in the door, it’s anybody’s game. You’re that much closer to winning a national championship, which is the ultimate goal.”
You were scheduled to play Ohio State in 2024 and 2025, but the Buckeyes backed out of that series. It seems increasingly difficult to convince premier nonconference opponents to play on the west coast in particular. Does that concern you?
“Yeah, I would be lying if I said it didn’t. Our Husky faithful, they want to see those big games happening in our stadium. Last year, we had a great time hosting Michigan State. We’re looking forward to more of those great opportunities down the road. If this is the trend of college football, where these games happen less and less … especially with where our program is headed, people maybe not wanting to come out here and play with the concerns of losing, that’s certainly something we’ll have to deal with and adjust to. That plays into the decisions and opportunities we’ll have to look at in the years ahead.”
When you look at the widening revenue gap between certain teams in the SEC and Big Ten and everyone else, do you feel like Washington has the resources it needs to win a national championship?
“I do. Coming from my past, even if you had a little bit less than some other places, you could bridge the gap with people. I feel like we have a lot of resources here, and you can always find someone who has more. That’s how it is with anything, not just college athletics. But with who we are and how we operate at UW, I feel like a lot of those resources are in place to be at a high level and win not just conference championships but be in the race for national championships as well.
“Having more resources always helps you sustain the success and reach new levels and continue on. It might be keeping your staff. It might be new facilities and staying up with what you need for your student-athletes. But right now we’re fortunate to have a beautiful stadium, great support. The players have all the resources they need, from nutrition to recovery. We have a coaching staff that I think is as good as any in the country. So I feel like right now we’re in a good spot. But I know you have to continue to evolve. You have to keep pushing or you’re going to get left in the dust.”
In terms of NIL resources, education and collectives surrounding the program, do you feel like Washington has what it needs to win recruiting battles for the top players in the country?
“We’ve come a long way over the last 12 months, and I don’t think we’re there yet. We are headed in the right direction, and the support continues to grow. It’s very promising, in my mind, where we’re going to be. A lot of it has to do with the sustainability that’s going to be there for us, because of the foundation within our university with NIL. I feel like everything’s been done the right way. There are smart people making good decisions. We have a lot of support. It’s just a matter of continuing to educate our donors and our fan base on how NIL works and how it’s being done at our university, how important it is to producing a high-end team every year. That education continues to lead to more and more support. Hopefully, a year from now we’re talking about another level that we’ve gone to.
“So it’s been a slower climb, but I feel really good about the direction we’re going. Could there have been a guy or two that we might have in our program that we don’t? Yeah, probably. But it is what it is, and we’re still attracting the right guys to our program. I’ve been coaching long enough to know that the guys who want to have a transformation and not just a transaction, those are the ones that you win with long term.”