University of Sioux Falls head football coach Kalen DeBoer just completed his fourth season at the helm of the Cougar program.
In four seasons, DeBoer has compiled a 52-3 overall record and a 13-2 postseason mark, including winning national championships in 2006 and 2008.
The 2008 Cougars finished 14-0 and defeated Carroll College (Mont.), 23-7, on Dec. 20 at Barron Stadium in Rome, Ga. for the school's second national crown in three seasons.
For his efforts, DeBoer was named the 2008 American Football Coaches Association NAIA Coach of the Year. In addition to that honor, DeBoer was named the 2008 American Football Monthly Schutt Sports NAIA Coach of the Year.
DeBoer's 2006 team was a perfect 14-0 and was crowned NAIA Football National Champions after beating Saint Francis (Ind.), 23-19, at Jim Carroll Stadium in Savannah, Tenn., marking the second national title in school history.
At 32, DeBoer became one of the youngest head coaches to ever win a national title. That year (2006) DeBoer was also named the NAIA coach of the year.
DeBoer has been an integral part in all of USF's national title game appearances, winning as a player in 1996, serving as an assistant coach on the national runner-up 2001 team and head coaching the Cougars to a national runner-up finish in 2007.
From 2006-07, the Cougars had a school-record 27-game winning streak that ended in a 17-9 loss to Carroll College (Mont.) in the 2007 national title game. Overall, the Cougars have won 28 straight home games and 63 of their last 64 conference games.
In 2007, USF led the Great Plains Athletic Conference in 12 statistical categories, including total offense (453.6) and total defense (202.4). For his efforts, DeBoer was named GPAC Coach of The Year for the second consecutive season.
DeBoer has also been named the NAIA Region 4 Coach of the Year for the past two seasons (2006 & 2007). A graduate of USF, DeBoer played from 1993-1996, where he was an All-American wide receiver, setting records for receptions (234), receiving yards (3,400) and touchdown catches (33).
Following his playing career, DeBoer served as a student assistant for the 1997 team that went 12-2 with an NAIA semi-final appearance.
Prior to the start of the 2005 season, DeBoer took over for 22-year USF head coach Bob Young. In DeBoer's first season, he led the Cougars to an 11-2 record and their third semi-final appearance in the last four years. In 2005 the Cougars ranked second in the GPAC in offensive yards per game (407) and third in yards allowed (291).
DeBoer continued the Cougar tradition as USF qualified for the playoffs for the 10th time in 12 years. His 11 wins that season are the most by any first-year head coach in the history of the USF football program since its birth in 1902.
DeBoer has led USF to at least a NAIA semi-final appearance in each of his four seasons. Overall, USF has made 13 of the last 15 NAIA playoff championship series.
DeBoer has coached nine All-Americans and two NAIA Players-of-the-Year, including USF quarterback Chad Cavender (Redding, Calif.) in 2007.
Before DeBoer succeeded Young, he was the Cougars' offensive coordinator, a post he occupied from 2000-2004.
Coach DeBoer and his wife, Nicole, have one daughter, Alexis.
