Kalen DeBoer - Football Coach

Kalen DeBoer

Title:
Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator
Email:
HeadFootballCoach@mail.fresnostate.edu

Last updated Jan. 20, 2021

THE DEBOER FILE

PERSONAL INFORMATION
Twitter: @KalenDeBoer
Hometown: Milbank, S.D.
High School: Milbank
Spouse: Nicole
Children: Alexis, Avery

EDUCATION
University of Sioux Falls (1998)
Bachelor's in Secondary Education

COACHING HISTORY
Fresno State
2020-21: Head Coach
Indiana
2019: Offensive Coordinator/Assoc. Head Coach/QBs
Fresno State
2017-18: Offensive Coordinator/Asst. Head Coach/QBs
Eastern Michigan
2014-16: Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
Southern Illinois
2010-13: Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers
Sioux Falls
** Career Record as HC: 67-3 **
2005-09: Head Coach
2000-04: Offensive Coordinator
Washington H.S. (S.D.)
1998-99: Assistant Coach
Sioux Falls
1997: Student Assistant Coach/WRs

PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Sioux Falls
1993-96: Wide Receiver

The 2021 season marks Kalen DeBoer's (pronounced duh-BOR) second season as head coach for the Fresno State Football program. He was named the 20th head coach in Fresno State history on Dec. 17, 2019, succeeding Jeff Tedford.

While he embarked on his first season at the helm of the program a year ago, he is no stranger to the Valley as he first arrived in 2017 with Tedford, hired as his offensive coordinator. DeBoer coached the Bulldogs for two seasons before departing for a one-year stint in 2019 at Indiana in the same capacity.

DeBoer earned his first career Division I victory as a head coach on Oct. 29, 2020 at Bulldog Stadium in a 38-17 win against Colorado State following one of the most challenging offseasons in recent memory, for any program, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unflappable throughout, the team bonded together under DeBoer's leadership, and his coaching staff's, despite no spring football or traditional summer workouts leading into the 2020 season.

Fresno State finished with a 3-3 record in 2020, playing its first two games at home and final four on the road in an unprecedented year. The team sported 10 postseason All-Mountain West selections, highlighted by first-team running back Ronnie Rivers. The Bulldogs' offense shined in 2020 producing a conference-best 479.3 yards total offense per game. The Bulldogs' defense showed growth in a new 4-2-5 scheme, utilizing a large contingent of underclassmen and newcomers that caused havoc for opposing quarterbacks. Fresno State finished tops in the Mountain West, and third in the NCAA in sacks per game (4.17). The 'Dogs scored an average of 32.8 points per game in 2020 while allowing 30.0.

IU sported an 8-5 record in 2019 with DeBoer as its offensive coordinator, a resurrection season said by some in the Midwest, as it was the Hoosiers' best regular season in 26 years. The eight wins tied for the third most in school history, trailing only the 1945 and 1967 Big Ten Championship teams who each won nine games. Indiana posted a winning conference record for the first time since 1993 (5-3) and was nationally ranked for the first time in 25 years, breaking the oldest such drought in the country.

The Hoosiers’ offense, a catalyst of the success, excelled under DeBoer ranking inside the top five in the 14-team Big Ten conference in passing offense (302.4, second), first downs (23.4, second), time of possession (33:43, third) turnovers lost (15, third), total offense (432.8, third), passing efficiency (150.6, fourth), third down conversion percentage (.469, fourth) and scoring offense (31.8, fifth).

DeBoer's two years as the Bulldogs' offensive coordinator was one for the ages that concluded with a Mountain West Championship and Las Vegas Bowl win to cap a 22-6 run during the 2017-18 seasons. Those two seasons included double-digit winning seasons each year, coming off a 1-11 campaign by the 2016 team. That feat led to Fresno State becoming the first program in FBS history to secure back-to-back double-digit winning seasons following a double-digit loss season.

Fresno State reached unprecedented heights in year No. 2 with DeBoer as the OC as the Bulldogs posted a school-record 12 victories, and finished ranked No. 18 in both the AP Top 25 and Coaches poll. The offense ranked 26th nationally in scoring offense (34.6) and 29th in passing offense (267.1), and produced five all-conference honorees. The Bulldogs finished eighth nationally in team passing efficiency (156.58), tied for 15th in turnovers lost (14), tied for 19th nationally in red zone offense (89.5 percent) and 25th in third-down conversions (44.6). Up front, the Bulldogs' offensive line ranked in the top six nationally in fewest sacks and tackles for loss allowed per game in 2018 (6th, 5th).

Efficiency was the key in year one for the Bulldog offense under DeBoer as transfer quarterback Marcus McMaryion completed 62.1 percent of his passes, third-best in the Mountain West. Throwing only five interceptions on the year, McMaryion finished the season with the seventh-lowest interception percentage in Bulldog history at 1.42. With McMaryion under center for the majority of the season, the ‘Dogs threw for 237.9 yards per game, fourth-most in the MW. McMaryion accounted for 3,094 total yards and 18 TDs. Providing time for his quarterback was an offensive line that allowed only 10 sacks in 14 games (0.71 per game), which ranked third in the FBS and was 21 less sacks allowed than the previous year. The ‘Dogs held six opponents without a sack in 2017, with only two teams recording more than one sack in a single game. Fresno State also ranked third in the FBS in tackles for loss allowed per game at just 3.29 per outing.

Prior to joining the Bulldogs’ staff, DeBoer spent three seasons as the offensive coordinator at Eastern Michigan where he helped guide the Eagles to their first bowl bid since 1987 following a 7-5 regular season. It was EMU’s first season above .500 since 1995.

EMU tied the Football Bowl Subdivision mark for biggest turnarounds in 2016, improving on its win total from one win in 2015. His offense shattered the school record for total yards with 5,917 yards, breaking the previous record of 5,010. School records were also set for points scored (385), passing yards (3,849), touchdown passes (25), first downs (303), pass completions (309), plays (999) as well single-game plays (99). His squad racked up the second-most touchdowns (47) and rushing TDs (21) in a season and the second-most single-game touchdowns (8) and first downs (35).

Prior to his three-year stint at Eastern Michigan, DeBoer spent four seasons as the offensive coordinator at Southern Illinois (2010-13) while also overseeing the wide receiver unit. In total, the Salukis beat 10 Top-25 opponents during DeBoer’s tenure. In 2013, the Saluki offense led the Missouri Valley Football Conference (FCS) with 231.8 passing yards per game, the fourth-highest total in school history. SIU’s 25 passing touchdowns on the season tied for the third-highest total in school history. Under DeBoer’s tutelage, tight end MyCole Pruitt was named to the 2013 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS All-America team while John Lantz developed into an All-MVFC receiver.

During the 2011 campaign, the Salukis ranked third in the nation with an average of 183.1 rushing yards a contest. Bryan Boemer also developed into the Rimington Award winner, which is presented to the nation’s premier center.

Before leading Eastern Michigan and Southern Illinois to prolific offensive numbers, DeBoer served as the head coach at the University of Sioux Falls, where he led one of the most dominant NAIA programs in the nation.

DeBoer was named a three-time NAIA National Coach of the Year and compiled an astonishing 67-3 (.957) record while guiding USF to three national championships in five seasons. He won four Great Plains Athletic Conference Championships, 50-straight home games and 29-straight games overall in his final two seasons. He also boasted a 17-2 record in the playoffs. His teams won back-to-back NAIA National Championships in 2008 and 2009, and adding in his 2006 national championship, DeBoer had as many national championships as games lost during his five-year tenure as USF’s head coach.

DeBoer coached three NAIA National Players of the Year winners in quarterbacks Lorenzo Brown (2009) and Chad Cavender (2007) and running back Nick Kortan (2002). During his time at USF, he helped develop 25 first-team All-Americans.

A graduate of USF, DeBoer played for the Cougars from 1993-96, where he was an All-American wide receiver. He set school records for receptions (234), receiving yards (3,400) and touchdown catches (33).

Following his playing days, he became a student assistant for Sioux Falls under coach Bob Young in 1997. From 2000-04, he served as USF’s offensive coordinator and succeeded Young as head coach in 2005.

He and his wife, Nicole, have two daughters, Alexis and Avery.