Report: Washington focusing on 1 ‘strong candidate’ for head coach job

The Washington Huskies appear to have identified a leading candidate for their vacant head coach position.

Fresno State head coach Kalen DeBoer has emerged as a “strong candidate” for the Washington job, according to John Brice of Football Scoop. Nothing is official, but with the Huskies not involved in the Pac-12 Championship, it appears the school could move quickly to try to hire DeBoer away from the Bulldogs.

DeBoer is in his second season as Fresno State’s coach, and has overseen a quick turnaround. The 47-year-old has the Bulldogs at 9-3 on the season, a big turnaround after two consecutive middling campaigns. Prior to his current job, he spent one season as offensive coordinator at Indiana in 2019.

The Huskies are looking for stability after firing Jimmy Lake, whose tenure turned particularly tumultuous in 2021. DeBoer ticks a lot of boxes, both in terms of turning around a program and his experience working and recruiting on the west coast.

Photo: Oct 30, 2021; Carson, California, USA; Fresno State Bulldogs head coach Kalen DeBoer reacts in the second half against the San Diego State Aztecs at Dignity Health Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports