ANNOUNCEMENT: After quarrelling with the head coach star player makes shocking announcement today….

(Dakota News Now) – When he took over for longtime University of Sioux Falls head coach Bob Young in December of 2004, Kalen DeBoer joked that he always thought he’d pity the guy who had to follow a legend.

20 years later DeBoer must be a whole lot more comfortable doing that because he’s doing it again on the biggest stage possible.

After a whirlwind Friday night in which he was greeted by a throng of cheering fans upon flying in to Tuscaloosa from Seattle, and talking to his new team, the Milbank native was officially introduced today as the 28th head coach in the history of the Alabama Crimson Tide football program.

Kalen said he wouldn’t have left Washington for any football program, and following in Nick Saban’s footsteps with Alabama’s proud program excites him.

No official word yet on how much DeBoer’s contract at Alabama is worth, though Saban was making about $11 million dollars per year compared to Kalen making about $4 million a year at Washington.

The 72-year-old left Alabama earlier this year after 17 seasons with the university.

His tenure with Alabama was one of the most prolific in college football history, winning six national championships and nine SEC titles.

His program also produced four Heisman Trophy winners.

Saban took over an Alabama program that struggled nationally, as it only won one SEC title in the prior 14 years.

He also took over the program a season after its victories were vacated due to NCAA infractions.