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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — University of Alabama president Stuart Bell marked a “new chapter in the Crimson Tide football program” Saturday by introducing its 28th head coach: Kalen DeBoer, the Associated Press Coach of the Year who this past season led Washington to a berth in the College Football Playoff National Championship game.

But Bell first had to acknowledge the outgoing coach, Nick Saban, who won the AP award twice — to go along with six national championships — during his 17 seasons at Alabama.

“Your legacy will forever be interwoven with the fabric of the university,” Bell said of Saban, arguably the greatest college football coach of all time with seven national titles (including one with LSU) and a record of 307-88-1.

A full-throated ovation interrupted Bell’s speech for a moment.

Saban’s presence was felt throughout the afternoon’s festivities. The five-time SEC Coach of the Year wore a crimson sports coat and sat in the front row, to athletic director Greg Byrne’s left as he spoke inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. Before listing DeBoer’s credentials and talking through the hiring process, Byrne thanked Saban and alluded to a future celebration for him and his wife, Terry.

Beyond the wall of glass behind the dais, a statue of Saban stood along the walk of champions — a testament to the coach’s greatness as well as the expectations awaiting his successor.

“When I look at places I want to be, it’s about winning championships,” DeBoer said. “That’s the expectation, and [I] accept [that] as a privilege to try to uphold.”

DeBoer credited Saban for laying a strong foundation, calling him “the best in the business to ever do it.”

“100 percent access, OK?” he said of Saban’s involvement moving forward. “I’d be a fool if that wasn’t the case.”

DeBoer, 49, grew up in South Dakota and cut his teeth in the lower rungs of college football in the NAIA before winning back-to-back Pac-12 Coach of the Year awards at Washington. He spoke to Saban for the first time Friday. On Saturday morning, he said he called the coach again.

The last time DeBoer was in Bryant-Denny Stadium was in 2017, when he was offensive coordinator at Fresno State. He joked of the 41-10 loss to Alabama, “It wasn’t one that I want to remember.”

But three years later, DeBoer was the head coach at Fresno State. It was then, compiling a 12-6 record in two seasons, that Byrne said the coach caught his attention.

Byrne said he came to Alabama seven years ago as AD knowing that it was his job to facilitate Saban’s tenure for as long as he wanted to remain the coach, while also preparing for his eventual retirement. Byrne said he kept in close contact with Saban during the season, meeting every Sunday, and wasn’t surprised when he called it quits.

“Over time, I was always preparing, hoping I’d never have to execute the plan,” Byrne said.

Byrne was on a flight in search of Saban’s replacement the same evening the coach announced he was stepping down. Byrne told the team he’d have a new coach named within 72 hours. It wound up taking only 49.

Byrne slept nine hours over three nights, calling on Saban for his guidance multiple times. Not utilizing Saban, Byrne said, would have been “irresponsible.”

“Shame on me if I didn’t want to do that,” he added.

Two of Saban’s former players stood to the side of the podium Saturday as DeBoer was introduced: former linebacker Christian Miller and former defensive back Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.

DeBoer, who has a 104-12 record, has never coached in the SEC. He acknowledged his lack of familiarity with the conference and the region but said he understood “there needs to be some SEC ties [on staff] that can bridge the gap.”

So far, no assistant coaches or staff members have been named.

Given the ability of players to leave via the transfer portal, DeBoer and Byrne said they understood the sense of urgency to win over the current roster.

DeBoer met with the team shortly after arriving in Tuscaloosa on Friday night.

“I want you to put yourself in those guys’ shoes,” DeBoer said. “A legendary coach that they came to play for [is gone], and now what’s next?”

DeBoer said he has had multiple meetings with players, both individually and with the team leaders.

“I know how badly they want to continue the tradition and how they want to do it the right way,” DeBoer said. “And them getting to know me in the last few hours has been a blast.

“I can’t wait for the journey that lies ahead.”

Fearing he’d get emotional, DeBoer said he held off thanking his former players at Washington until the end of his speech. And right on cue, he teared up.

“It’s a special place to me, it really is,” he said. “This was one of the few places, maybe the only place, that I would have ever left for.”

Speaking to reporters after the news conference, Byrne said he understood the narrative that no one would want to follow a legend like Saban. If he was a writer, he said, he’d probably offer the same opinion.

“But as I thought about it over the years, one of the things I thought about was, you better have somebody that’s comfortable in their own skin and that looks at this as a challenge and as an opportunity, not as a detriment,” he said. “And almost immediately, for Coach DeBoer and [his wife] Nicole, too … they saw this as a wonderful opportunity.”

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Canes’ Andersen, 35, secures deal before Round 2

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Canes' Andersen, 35, secures deal before Round 2

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes have signed goaltender Frederik Andersen to a one-year contract for next season, worth $2.75 million for the 35-year-old veteran.

General manager Eric Tulsky announced the deal Saturday, a little over 48 hours before his team starts the second round of the playoffs against the Washington Capitals.

Andersen could earn up to $750,000 in incentives for games played and his participation in a potential run to the Eastern Conference finals next season. He would get $250,000 for playing 35 or more games, another $250,000 for getting to 40 and $250,000 if the Hurricanes reach the East finals and he plays in at least half of the playoff games.

“Frederik has played extremely well for us and ranks in the top 10 all-time for winning percentage by an NHL goalie,” Tulsky said. “We’re excited that he will be staying with the team for next season.”

Andersen and the Hurricanes, the No. 2 seed in the Metropolitan Division, advanced past the New Jersey Devils in Round 1 last week. They will meet the Capitals, who won the division crown, for the right to make the NHL’s final four.

Extending Andersen could give the team a goaltending tandem with Pyotr Kochetkov for less than $6 million combined.

Anderson, a Denmark native who previously played for the Anaheim Ducks and Toronto Maple Leafs, has become coach Rod Brind’Amour’s most trusted option in net. He is expected to return to the starting role for Game 1 of the Capitals series after getting injured in the first round against New Jersey.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Sovereignty outduels Journalism to capture Derby

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Sovereignty outduels Journalism to capture Derby

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Sovereignty outdueled 3-1 favorite Journalism down the stretch to win the 151st Kentucky Derby in the slop on Saturday.

Trainer Bill Mott won his first Derby in 2019, also run on a sloppy track, when Country House was elevated to first after Maximum Security crossed the finish line first and was disqualified after a 22-minute delay.

This time, he knew right away.

Sovereignty won by 1½ lengths and snapped an 0-for-13 Derby skid for owner Godolphin, the racing stable of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

It was quite a weekend for the sheikh. His filly, Good Cheer, won the Kentucky Oaks on Friday and earlier Saturday, Ruling Court won the 2,000 Guineas in Britain.

Sovereignty covered 1¼ miles in 2:02.31 and paid $17.96 to win at 7-1 odds.

Journalism found trouble in the first turn and jockey Umberto Rispoli moved him to the outside. He and Sovereignty hooked up at the eighth pole before Sovereignty and jockey Junior Alvarado pulled away.

Baeza was third, Final Gambit was fourth and Owen Almighty finished fifth.

Rain made for a soggy day, with the Churchill Downs dirt strip listed as sloppy and horse racing fans protecting their fancy hats and clothing with clear plastic ponchos.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Zilisch to miss Xfinity race in Texas after wreck

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Zilisch to miss Xfinity race in Texas after wreck

FORT WORTH, Texas — Connor Zilisch, the 18-year-old driver already with two NASCAR Xfinity Series race wins, will miss Saturday’s race at Texas because of lower back injuries sustained in a last-lap wreck at Talladega.

Trackhouse Racing said Wednesday that its development driver will return as soon as possible to the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. The team didn’t provide any additional details about Zilisch’s injuries.

Cup Series regular Kyle Larson will drive the No. 88 in Texas. After that, the Xfinity Series has a two-week break before racing again May 24 at Charlotte.

Zilisch, sixth in points through the first 11 races, was driving for the win at Talladega Superspeedway when contact on the backstretch sent his car spinning, and head-on into inside wall.

Zilisch won in his Xfinity debut at Watkins Glen last Sept. 14. He added another win this year at Austin, the same weekend that he made his Cup Series debut. He has six top-10 finishes in his 15 Xfinity races.

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