It did not take long for Kalen DeBoer to transform the head football coach’s office at Alabama from Nick Saban’s to his own. The 49-year-old gutted the entire room shortly after being hired by the Crimson Tide.
Except for one specific feature!
Saban had one of the most recognizable offices in sport by nature of his status. Outside of a few rotating images on the walls, it looked exactly the same for 17 years. The brown coffee table was iconic.
DeBoer was hired to replace the greatest college football coach of all-time in January. He not only brought new energy to the program, he also remodeled Saban’s confines.
The office underwent a top-to-bottom facelift over the first few weeks of the DeBoer era.
However, one famous staple remains!
Kalen DeBoer kept the door.
Alabama’s new head coach specifically requested to keep the button on Saban’s desk that automatically opened and closed the main door. It allows DeBoer to sit in his office chair, which is located on the opposite end from the door, and still be able to direct the flow of traffic.
That’s actually hand, because the desk is on the other side of the room.
— Kalen DeBoer to 247 Sports
Not only does the button increase efficiency, it is impressive to recruits in more ways than one. They are blown away by the magic door, but also intimidated just enough to understand what an honor it is to be offered by such a prestigious program. Joey Bosa will attest to that, even though he went to Ohio State.
He visited Tuscaloosa as a 15-year-old and received his first scholarship offer from Saban.
They’re pretty serious, intimidating guys, especially when you’re 15 years old sitting in Saban’s office. Then he pushes this button that automatically closes his door.
— Joey Bosa, via Cleveland.com
The NFL’s 2016 Defensive Rookie of the Year recalls being nervous to meet with Alabama’s head coach before the door shut automatically. That only kicked things up a notch.
I heard about the door, he just clicked (the button) and it shut. I was pretty scared […]
It was a super nice door.
— Joey Bosa, via Cleveland.com
Although the door did not get Bosa to commit, Saban was one of the best recruiters in the country and won six national championships. It is hard to say that the door is not effective.
Kalen DeBoer seems to agree. The button is the only thing from the past that will carry into the present!