Kalen DeBoer to Michigan? Insider Account Casts Doubt on Rumors After Sherrone Moore Firing
The college football rumor mill went into overdrive this week following reports that Michigan had fired head coach Sherrone Moore, immediately sparking speculation about potential replacements. One name rose quickly to the surface: Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer. The chatter intensified after a revealing account from a senior writer at Bama247, who disclosed that he was inside DeBoer’s office at the exact moment news of Moore’s firing broke.
The timing alone was enough to fuel online frenzy. But according to the insider’s firsthand perspective, the idea of DeBoer leaving Alabama for Michigan is far more fiction than fact.
“I was sitting across from him when the alert came across our phones,” the Bama247 writer wrote in a column for VIP subscribers. “There was no pause, no reaction, no sudden change in tone. If anything, it barely registered.”
As news of Moore’s dismissal spread, message boards and social media platforms quickly linked DeBoer to the Wolverines’ opening. Michigan, one of college football’s most storied programs, was suddenly in the market. DeBoer, widely regarded as one of the sport’s sharpest offensive minds and program builders, became an obvious target in the eyes of fans.
Inside DeBoer’s office, however, the scene told a different story.
“We were talking recruiting,” the writer noted. “He was focused on roster needs, assistant responsibilities, and offseason development. Michigan never came up—by him or anyone else.”
That lack of reaction stood out to the reporter, who emphasized DeBoer’s body language and demeanor. “If this was a coach with one foot out the door, you’d sense it,” he wrote. “I didn’t. Not even a hint.”
From Michigan’s perspective, interest in DeBoer would make sense. He has built a reputation as a steady, disciplined leader with a proven ability to win and adapt. In an era where coaching stability is rare, Michigan would be justified in evaluating every elite option available.
But sources close to Alabama say DeBoer is not one of them.
“This is not a guy looking for the next exit,” one Alabama staff source told Bama247. “He came here to build something, not to flip jobs every year.”
DeBoer himself has repeatedly emphasized long-term vision since arriving in Tuscaloosa. In public comments earlier this offseason, he stressed commitment over convenience.
“You don’t take a job like this unless you’re all in,” DeBoer said at a recent booster event. “This is about laying a foundation that lasts, not chasing headlines.”
That philosophy, insiders say, remains unchanged.
Financial realities also complicate any hypothetical move. DeBoer’s Alabama contract reportedly includes a significant buyout clause, making a quick exit both expensive and complex. While Michigan has the resources to pursue top-tier coaches, multiple industry sources question whether the Wolverines would push aggressively for a candidate who has shown no indication of interest.
“Big jobs open every year,” one Power Five athletic director said anonymously. “The mistake fans make is assuming every coach is waiting by the phone.”
The Bama247 writer echoed that sentiment in his column, cautioning against overreading coincidence.
“The fact that the news broke while I was in his office makes for a great story,” he wrote. “But it doesn’t change the reality. Nothing about that moment suggested Kalen DeBoer was preparing for a move.”
Instead, the writer described DeBoer as “methodical, grounded, and locked in,” qualities that Alabama officials hoped to preserve after years of continuity at the program’s highest level.
Michigan, meanwhile, faces its own uncertain path forward. With Moore’s firing still fresh, the Wolverines are expected to conduct a broad search, evaluating internal and external candidates alike. Whether DeBoer’s name appears on that list remains unclear—but insiders strongly doubt it goes any further than casual discussion.
“This stuff happens every time a big job opens,” an SEC coach said. “Elite coaches get linked to elite programs. That doesn’t mean conversations are happening.”
For now, those closest to DeBoer insist nothing has changed.
“He’s where he wants to be,” the Bama247 writer concluded. “And if you were in that room with us, you’d say the same thing.”
Until tangible evidence suggests otherwise, the notion of Kalen DeBoer heading to Michigan appears to be driven more by timing and speculation than reality—another reminder of how quickly narratives can form in college football, even when the facts tell a quieter story.
